Where Did Typhus Start?

Typhus is a term that refers to a general group of infectious diseases that are caused by a microbe, a microscopic organism. The microbes are parasites that live on lice and can cause a number of human diseases when a person is bitten by a louse (the singular form of lice). According to emedicine.com, the most common diseases caused by typhus in the United States are epidemic typhus and murine typhus.

History

• Typhus came to the United States with immigrants to Ellis Island.

  Like all other diseases, it is unclear when or where typhus began. However, scientists agree that it probably came to the United States from European immigrants, where it was known. American Scholar magazine reports that typhus, like other infectious germs, began to migrate with human explorations dating back to antiquity, reaching their height during the Renaissance. Typhus eventually found its way to the United States with the influx of immigrants to Ellis Island at the turn of the 20th century.

Typhus in the U.S.

• Cat lice can transmit typhus to humans.

  Emedicine.com estimates there have been about 15 documented cases of epidemic typhus reported in the United States. These incidents have occurred in the eastern and central portions of the country and are presumed to be caused by exposure to flying squirrels. The squirrels are the hosts for the organism, and its fleas are believed to be the method of transmission to humans. Murine typhus, on the other hand, is associated with possum and cat fleas and is found mostly in southern California and south Texas.

Transmission

• A typhus rash frequently begins in the underarm.

  Once the lice get on an animal, the animal can transmit the lice to a human host. When a louse bites, it causes a reaction on the skin that causes an itch. When the itch is scratched, the louse is crushed and the typhus-containing microbes are introduced into the wound. From there the infectious agents enter the bloodstream, and the typhus organism begins to develop and grow.

Symptoms

• Antibiotics are the first line of treatment for typhus.

  The symptoms of typhus are the abrupt and quick onset of fever and a headache that is categorized as "unremitting." These symptoms may be accompanied by a rash in the armpit and torso that extends outward. This rash typically occurs within four to seven days after the person has been bitten by the flea. Other symptoms that are less common are a dry cough, and either deafness or a ringing in the ears.

Treatment

• If left untreated, typhus is a dangerous disease that can cause a severe infection which can lead to gangrene and a loss of fingers, toes and limbs. The death rate for untreated typhus is 20 percent in healthy individuals and as much as 60 percent in the elderly or infirm, according to emedicine.com. Fortunately, there are antibiotics available on the market that are specifically manufactured to combat typhus.