Master Rickettsia with Picmonic for Medicine

This is the most lethal and common Rickettsial infection in the United States, caused by the bacteria Ricketssia rickettssii. Signs and symptoms include sudden onset of fever, headache, muscle, and rash.

Typhus is caused by several species of Ricketssia including Rickettsia prowazekii and Rickettsia typhi. Common symptoms include chills, high fever, joint pain, severe headaches and muscle pain. Typhus also has a rash that characteristically starts on the trunk and spreads outward without involving the palms or soles.

Tickborne bacterial infection can infect and kill white blood cells. Common symptoms include headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. A rash may occur but is not common.

It is important to know that Q Fever is not in the Rickettsia genus, but is closely related. Q fever is the disease caused by Coxiella burnetii and commonly manifests as flu-like symptoms with fever, malaise, myalgia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. During the course of disease, it can progress to pneumonia, which can result in life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Many of the Rickettsial disease are transmitted by arthropod vectors like ticks, fleas, and lice.

Many of the Rickettsial diseases have a classic triad of headache, fever, and a rash.

Many of the Rickettsial diseases have a classic triad of headache, fever, and a rash.

Many of the Rickettsial diseases have a classic triad of headache, fever, and a rash. The rash is often caused by vasculitis.

A Weil-Felix test is an agglutination test used for the identification of rickettsial infections. When patient serum is mixed with Proteus antigens, anti rickettsial antibodies cross-react to Proteus O antigens causing agglutination. It is important to note that Q fever has a negative Weil-Felix reaction.

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic that is effective against Rickettsial organisms.