Epidemia de tifus exantemático en Chile (1932-1939)

Abstract

After the great epidemic of of exanthematic typhus of 1918 - 1919 in Chile, there was a gradual decrease in the number of cases, until it became endemic around 1926. Starting in 1932 and until 1939 a new epidemic outbreak occured, that prompted researchers to its study supported by the new clinical and technological advances of this period. Subsequently, two important events occured: the erradication of the vector (human louse) by means of effective insecticides and the discovery of an effective antibiotic treatment (chloramphenicol).