Epidemic Louse-Borne Typhus Fever
什麼是Epidemic Louse-Borne Typhus Fever
Epidemic louse-borne typhus fever is one of three versions of the disease typhus, caused by three different bacteria in the Rickettsia genus, i.e, Rickettsia prowazekii, Rickettsia typhi, and Orientsia tsutsugamushi. Louse-borne typhus is caused by Rickettsia prowazekii. This disease usually occurs primarily in cold climates where human infestation with lice may occur and usually where groups of people are crowded together with poor sanitation and malnutrition.
The risk for travellers of acquiring epidemic louse-borne typhus fever is low, however, this risk is increased for those who may live and work in remote areas (anthropologists, archeologists, geologists, medical personnel, missionaries).
您如何獲得Epidemic Louse-Borne Typhus Fever？
This disease is transmitted by infected body lice. When the louse bites, it defecates, and the disease is then transmitted to an uninfected person who scratches the bite and rubs the feces into the wound.
易感性和抵抗力
All people are potentially susceptible to epidemic louse-borne typhus. However, prior infection creates long lasting immunity.
有哪些症狀？
Epidemic typhus may begin with the sudden onset of severe headache, aches, chills and fever. A skin rash often appears on the 5th or 6th day of illness, usually on the upper part of the body. The rash then spreads to all parts of the body, except the palms and soles. The fever usually subsides after 2 weeks. Other symptoms include cough, light sensitivity, and delirium. Mild infections may occur, especially in children.
The disease may reappear as a mild illness years after the first infection. This is known as Brill-Zinsser Disease, and people with this disease will transmit the bacteria to any lice that bite them, possibly causing new outbreaks.
Without treatment, 10-40 percent of people with epidemic louse-borne typhus fever will die.
預防措施
沒有預防流行性斑疹傷寒的疫苗或藥物。避免蝨子出沒是預防流行性蝨源性斑疹傷寒的最佳方法。避免與已知感染蝨子的任何人直接接觸。避免共享衣服，床上用品，毛巾和其他個人物品。定期洗澡和換衣服。可能需要使用化學殺蟲劑熏蒸或除塵，以消除該區域的蝨子。
治療
A single dose of doxycycline (200 mg.) will usually cure patients.
驗證
通常在哪裡發生？
引起流行性斑疹傷寒的細菌（立克次氏體）由感染的蝨子傳播。因此，這種疾病可能會在發現體蝨的任何地方發生，通常是在寒冷的天氣中，如果不清洗被感染的衣服，這種疾病就可能發生。該病最常見於墨西哥山區，中美洲和南美洲，非洲部分地區以及亞洲許多國家。這種疾病的爆發最常見於無家可歸者，難民營以及經歷過戰爭或自然災害的地方。
