Symptoms of typhus · severe headache · high fever (above 102.2°F) · rash that begins on the back or chest and spreads · confusion · stupor and seeming out of touch ...TyphusMedicallyreviewedbyStacySampson,D.O.—WrittenbytheHealthlineEditorialTeam—UpdatedonFebruary1,2019PictureCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsOutlookPreventionWhatistyphus?Typhusisadiseasecausedbyinfectionwithoneormorerickettsialbacteria.Fleas,mites(chiggers),lice,ortickstransmititwhentheybiteyou.Fleas,mites,lice,andticksaretypesofinvertebrateanimalsknownasarthropods.Whenarthropodscarryingaroundrickettsialbacteriabitesomeone,theytransmitthebacteriathatcausestyphus.Scratchingthebitefurtheropenstheskinandallowsthebacteriagreateraccesstothebloodstream.Onceinthebloodstream,thebacteriacontinuetoreproduceandgrow.Therearethreedifferenttypesoftyphus:epidemic(louse-borne)typhusendemic(murine)typhusscrubtyphusThetypeoftyphusyouareinfectedwithdependsonwhatbityou.Arthropodsaretypicallycarriersofatyphusstrainuniquetotheirspecies.Typhusoutbreaksusuallyonlyoccurindevelopingcountriesorinregionsofpoverty,poorsanitation,andclosehumancontact.TyphusisgenerallynotaproblemintheUnitedStates,butyoumaybecomeinfectedwhiletravelingabroad.Untreatedtyphuscanleadtoseriouscomplications,andit’spotentiallyfatal.It’simportanttoseeyourdoctorifyoususpectthatyoumayhavetyphus.PictureoftyphusShareonPinterestCauseoftyphusTyphusisnottransmittedfrompersontopersonlikeacoldortheflu.Therearethreedifferenttypesoftyphus,andeachtypeiscausedbyadifferenttypeofbacteriumandtransmittedbyadifferenttypeofarthropod.Epidemic/louse-bornetyphusThistypeiscausedbyRickettsiaprowazekiiandcarriedbythebodylouse,andpossiblybyticksaswell.Itcanbefoundaroundtheworld,includingintheUnitedStates,butistypicallyfoundinareasofhighpopulationandpoorsanitation,whereconditionspromoteliceinfestation.EndemictyphusAlternativelyknownasmurinetyphus,thistypeiscausedbyRickettsiatyphiandiscarriedbytheratfleaorcatflea.Endemictyphuscanbefoundworldwide.Itmaybefoundamongpeopleinc