Kristina Das
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Written By: Kristina Das | Published : November 21, 2018 4:55 PM IST
It is a bacterial disease and it is caused by Rickettsia bacteria. ©Shutterstock.
Typhus has been in existence for a long time. It is considered to be one of the deadliest diseases. There is no vaccine available for this disease yet. However, improved hygiene practices, effective insecticides and antibiotics can prevent the condition. In this article, we have discussed everything about this deadly disease.
History of typhus outbreak:
In 1489, during the Spanish army siege of Granada, the outbreak of typhus was initially recorded. It was during the early 20th century, a French bacteriologist, Charles Nicolle noticed hot water shower have a possible impact on the typhus affected population.
What is typhus?
Typhus is a bacterial disease and it is caused by Rickettsia bacteria. Basically, fleas, mites or lice spread this infection. It is also known as typhus fever and it is a bunch of infectious diseases which include, scrub typhus, epidemic typhus and murine typhus.
The arthropods spread the infection. Invertebrate animals such as ticks, mites, or lice transmit the bacteria through biting. The insect bite can leave a mark on the body, and if scratched it can open the skin further. And the bacteria will continue to reproduce and grow if they gain access to the bloodstream via the open skin.
Symptoms of typhus:
As we have already mentioned that there are 3 types of typhus. So, some of the common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, rash, muscle and joint pain, dry cough, low blood pressure, abdominal pain, back pain, etc.
How to prevent typhus?
To prevent typhus just avoid the breeding of lice and pests that spread the disease. Try to maintain personal hygiene always. Do not travel to overpopulated regions with low hygiene quality. Always use insect repellents at home. Consume chemoprophylaxis with doxycycline as a preventive measure in case of extreme emergency. Always cover yourself while travelling to vegetated areas.
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