Microbiology and Immunology

WORLD OF MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY Typhus

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Rickettsia is an important step in prevention. Spraying with

insecticides, rodent control measures, and treating soil with

insect-repellent chemicals have all been used successfully to

prevent typhus outbreaks. In scrub typhus islands, cutting

down vegetation has been shown to lessen the incidence of

scrub typhus. The second preventative prong is protecting the

body from insect bites. Wearing heavy clothing when ventur-

ing into potentially insect-laden areas is one way to protect

against insect bites; applying insect repellent to the skin is

another. Proper personal hygiene, such as frequent bathing

and changing of clothes, will eliminate human body lice and

thus prevent epidemic typhus. A typhus vaccineis also avail-

able; however, this vaccine only lessens the severity and

shortens the course of the disease, and does not protect

against infection.

See alsoBacteria and bacterial infection; Bioterrorism, pro-

tective measures; Infection control; Zoonoses

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