What is Typhus? ... Typhus is a disease caused by rickettsia or orientia bacteria. You can get it from infected mites, fleas, or lice. Modern ...MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesVideoNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersWebMDRxSavingsCardCoronavirus(COVID-19)CBDOilKetoDietHepatitisCDiabetesWarningSignsRheumatoidArthritisMorning-AfterPillBreastCancerScreeningPsoriaticArthritisSymptomsHeartFailureMultipleMyelomaTypesofCrohn'sDiseaseAtoZGuidesReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyNehaPathak, MDonSeptember28,2020InthisArticleWhatisTyphus?TyphusSymptomsTyphusCausesTyphusDiagnosisTyphusTreatmentTyphusComplicationsTyphusPreventionWhatisTyphus?Typhusisadiseasecausedbyrickettsiaororientiabacteria.Youcangetitfrominfectedmites,fleas,orlice.Modernhygienehasmostlystoppedtyphus,butitcanstillhappeninplaceswherebasicsanitationisbadorifitgetspassedonbyaninfectedanimal.Therearethreemainkindsoftyphus,eachcausedbydifferentbacteria.Murinetyphusispassedbyfleastopeopleifthefleasbiteinfectedanimals,mainlyrats.MostU.S.caseshavebeenreportedinCalifornia,Hawaii,andTexas.Epidemictyphusisararevarietyspreadbyinfectedbodylice.It’sunlikelytohappenoutsideofextremelycrowdedlivingconditions.Onetypeofepidemictyphuscanbespreadbyinfectedflyingsquirrels.Butit,too,isveryrare.Scrubtyphusisspreadbyinfectedchiggers,ormites,mainlyfoundinruralpartsofSoutheastAsia,China,Japan,India,andnorthernAustralia.Doctorscaneasilytreatallthreekindsoftyphuswithantibiotics.Buttheycancauseseriousillness,sogettreatmentrightawayifyouthinkyoumighthavebeenexposedtoit.TyphusSymptomsWithanykindoftyphus,you’llstarttofeelillabout10daysto2weeksafterthetyphusbacteriagetintoyourbody.You’lllikelyhave:ChillsFeverHeadacheMuscleacheslikewhatyou’dhavewiththefluArashseveraldaysaftertheothersymptomsstartWithmurinetyphus,youmayalsohave:CoughingLossofappetiteNauseaStomachpainVomitingWithepidemictyphus,youcouldnotice:ConfusionCoughingFastbreathingNauseaVomitingOthersymptomsofscrubtyphusinclude:ConfusionorothermentalimpairmentAdarks