Rickettsioses

Abstract

Rickettsioses is a term used to describe the diseases caused by pathogenic members of the family Rickettsiaceae, which comprise two genera, Rickettsia and Orientia. They are usually spread to people through the bite of infected ticks (spotted fever group rickettsiae) or mites (Rickettsia akari, Orientia spp.), or through infected feces of lice (Rickettsia prowazekii) or fleas (Rickettsia typhi). Although in many regions rickettsioses represent one of the most important causes of febrile illness, their indistinguishable clinical manifestations and lack of rapid point-of-care acute phase diagnostic tests lead to their misclassification as other etiologies of acute undifferentiated febrile illness. Early recognition of the disease allows for timely and proper treatment, which favors a speedy clinical recovery and avoidance of severe manifestations and death.