Learn About Typhus

What is the definition of Typhus?

Typhus is a bacterial disease spread by lice or fleas.

What are the alternative names for Typhus?

Murine typhus; Epidemic typhus; Endemic typhus; Brill-Zinsser disease; Jail fever

What are the causes of Typhus?

Typhus is caused by two types of bacteria: Rickettsia typhi or Rickettsia prowazekii.

Rickettsia typhi causes endemic or murine typhus.

  • Endemic typhus is uncommon in the United States. It is usually seen in areas where hygiene is poor, and the temperature is cold. Endemic typhus is sometimes called "jail fever." The bacteria that cause this type of typhus is usually spread from rats to fleas to humans.
  • Murine typhus occurs in the southern United States, including California and Texas. It is often seen during the summer and fall. It is rarely deadly. You are more likely to get this type of typhus if you are around rat feces or fleas, and other animals such as cats, possums, raccoons, and skunks.

Rickettsia prowazekii causes epidemic typhus. It is spread by lice.

Brill-Zinsser disease is a mild form of epidemic typhus. It occurs when the bacteria become active again in a person who was previously infected. It is more common in older adults.

What are the symptoms of Typhus?

Symptoms of murine or endemic typhus may include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Backache
  • Dull red rash that begins on the middle of the body and spreads
  • Fever, can be extremely high, 105°F to 106°F (40.6°C to 41.1°C) and can last up to 2 weeks
  • Hacking, dry cough
  • Headache
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Nausea and vomiting

Symptoms of epidemic typhus may include:

  • High fever, chills
  • Confusion, decreased alertness, delirium
  • Cough
  • Severe muscle and joint pain
  • Lights that appear very bright; light may hurt the eyes
  • Low blood pressure
  • Rash that begins on the chest and spreads to the rest of the body (except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet)
  • Severe headache

The early rash is a light rose color and fades when you press on it. Later, the rash becomes dull and red and does not fade. People with severe typhus may also develop small areas of bleeding into the skin.

Not sure about your diagnosis?
Check Your Symptoms
What are the current treatments for Typhus?

Treatment includes the following antibiotics:

  • Doxycycline
  • Tetracycline
  • Chloramphenicol (less common)

Tetracycline taken by mouth can permanently stain teeth that are still forming. Tetracycline is usually not prescribed for:

  • Children until after all of their permanent teeth have grown
  • Pregnant women

People with epidemic typhus may need oxygen and intravenous (IV) fluids.

Who are the top Typhus Local Doctors?
Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine

Spartanburg Medical Center

2755 S Hwy 14 1210, 
Greer, SC 
 9.8 mi
Accepting New Patients

Cara Douglass is an Internal Medicine provider in Greer, South Carolina. Dr. Douglass and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Typhus. Her top areas of expertise are Hypertension, Familial Hypertension, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, and Hypothyroidism. Dr. Douglass is currently accepting new patients.

Infectious Disease
Infectious Disease

Henderson County Hospital Corporation

705 6th Ave W, Suite D, 
Hendersonville, NC 
 32.5 mi
Accepting New Patients

Christopher Parsons is an Infectious Disease provider in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Dr. Parsons and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Typhus. His top areas of expertise are COVID-19, Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), Osteomyelitis, and Osteomyelitis in Children. Dr. Parsons is currently accepting new patients.

 
 
 
 
Learn about our expert tiers
Learn More
Family Medicine
Family Medicine

Henderson County Hospital Corporation

800 N Justice St, 
Hendersonville, NC 
 32.6 mi

Adrienne Stanley is a Family Medicine provider in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Dr. Stanley and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Typhus. Her top areas of expertise are Premature Ovarian Failure, Infertility, Sepsis, and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

What is the outlook (prognosis) for Typhus?

People with epidemic typhus who receive treatment quickly should completely recover. Without treatment, death can occur, with those over age 60 having the highest risk of death.

Only a small number of untreated people with murine typhus may die. Prompt antibiotic treatment will cure nearly all people with murine typhus.

What are the possible complications of Typhus?

Typhus may cause these complications:

  • Renal insufficiency (kidneys cannot function normally)
  • Pneumonia
  • Central nervous system damage
When should I contact a medical professional for Typhus?

Contact your provider if you develop symptoms of typhus. This serious disorder can require emergency care.

How do I prevent Typhus?

Avoid being in areas where you might encounter rat fleas or lice. Good sanitation and public health measures reduce the rat population.

Measures to get rid of lice when an infection has been found include:

  • Bathing
  • Boiling clothes or avoiding infested clothing for at least 5 days (lice will die without feeding on blood)
  • Using insecticides (10% DDT, 1% malathion, or 1% permethrin)
What are the latest Typhus Clinical Trials?
A Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic Study of Early Rickettsia Clearance in Murine Typhus or Scrub Typhus Patients Treated with Doxycycline or Azithromycin

Summary: Murine typhus is a disease caused by Rickettisa typhi, an obligate intracellular bacterium transmitted by rodent fleas. The disease has a worldwide distribution; however the true burden is unknown, related to its non-specific presentation and lack of access to diagnosis in many regions. A systematic review of untreated murine typhus based on observational studies of a total of 239 patients has est...

Match to trials
Find the right clinical trials for you in under a minute
Get started
Diagnostic Tools for the Direct Detection of Orientia Tsutsugamushi

Summary: Evaluate the performance of insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction (iiPCR) in the diagnosis of scrub typhus in Chiang Rai Province

Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: December 04, 2022
Published By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Blanton LS, Dumler JS, Walker DH. Rickettsia typhi (murine typhus). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 190.

Blanton LS, Walker DH. Rickettsia prowazekii (epidemic or louse-borne typhus). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 189.

Fournier PE, Raoult D. Rickettsial infections. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 311.