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What is murine typhus?
Murine typhus is a disease that can spread from animals to humans. It is caused by the bacteria Rickettsia typhi.
How is murine typhus transmitted?
Murine typhus is transmitted through flea bites from infected fleas, commonly found on rodents.
What are the symptoms of murine typhus?
Murine typhus is generally a mild infection. Symptoms include:
Fever
Headache
Joint and muscle pain
Rash
Abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting
What are the risk factors?
Being exposed to fleas, especially from rodents.
How is murine typhus treated?
Murine typhus is treated with the antibiotic doxycycline as the preferred antibiotic. Patients treated early with doxycyline usually recover quickly. There are alternative antibiotic options for patients in whom doxycycline may be contraindicated.
How to prevent murine typhus?
Preventive measures include:
Treating clothes with miticidal chemicals (e.g. permethrin).
Applying mite repellent (e.g. containing more than 20% DEET) on skin.
Implementing rodent control and anti-flea measures.
There is no approved vaccine against murine typhus.