The onset of epidemic typhus is often sudden. The initial symptoms may include headache, chills, fever, prostration and myalgia. In approximately 50% of cases, ...GovernorPhilMurphy•Lt.GovernorSheilaOliverNJHome|ServicesAtoZ|Departments/Agencies|FAQs     HomeAboutNJDADivisionsAgriculturalandNaturalResourcesAnimalHealthFoodandNutritionMarketingandDevelopmentPlantIndustryE-Licensing/RegistrationApplicationsandFormsGrants,FinancialServicesPublicationsRuleProposals/AdoptionsNewsTopicsAtoZHome>Divisions>AnimalHealth>AnimalDiseasesTyphusFever-RickettsiaprowazekiiAnimalDiseaseFactSheetsVirulentNewcastleDiseaseAvianInfluenzaCanineInfluenzaVirusEquineHerpesVirusNovelH1N1InfluenzaASwineEntericCoronavirusDiseaseRelatedLinksSynonyms:Epidemictyphus,Louse-bornetyphusfever,Typhusexanthematicus,Classicaltyphusfever,Europeantyphus,Brill-Zinsserdisease,JailfeverInfectionsinHumansInfectionsinAnimalsInternetResourcesReferencesEtiologyEpidemictyphusresultsfrominfectionbyRickettsiaprowazekii,aGramnegative,obligateintracellularbacterium.Atleasttwostrainscanbedistinguishedbygeneticanalysis.Onestrainisfoundonlyinhumans;theotheralsooccursinflyingsquirrelsintheUnitedStates.GeographicDistributionR.prowazekiihasbeenfoundworldwide.FociofdiseasecurrentlyexistinmanycountriesinAsia,centralandeastAfrica,andthemountainousregionsofMexico,CentralandSouthAmerica.Warandfaminecanresultinexplosiveoutbreaksofdisease.IntheUnitedStates,R.prowazekiiisendemicinflyingsquirrels.Thisformiszoonotic;sporadichumancaseshavebeenseeninGeorgia,Virginia,WestVirginia,NorthCarolina,Tennessee,Indiana,Illinois,Ohio,Pennsylvania,Maryland,Massachusetts,NewJersey,NewYorkandCalifornia.TransmissionTransmissionofepidemictyphusoccursbyarthropodvectors.Theprimaryvectorinperson-to-persontransmissionisthehumanbodylouse(Pediculushumanuscorporis).Licebecomeinfectedwhentheyfeedonthebloodofinfectedpatients;thelicedefecatewhentheyfeedonanewhost,excretingR.prowazekiiinthefeces.Transmissionoccurswhenorganismsinthelousefecesorcrushedlicearerub