Typhus

Alternative names:

Brill-Zinsser disease; epidemic typhus; Murine typhus

Treatment:

The goal of treatment is to eliminate the infection and to treat the symptoms with antibiotics such as tetracycline, doxycycline, or chloramphenicol. For epidemic typhus, intravenous fluids and oxygen may be necessary.

Note: oral tetracycline is usually not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have erupted; it can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming.

Expectations (prognosis):

With timely antibiotic therapy, the affected person is expected to recover completely.

Complications:

• renal insufficiency (epidemic typhus)
• pneumonia (epidemic typhus)
• central nervous system damage (epidemic typhus)
• death (epidemic typhus)

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if symptoms of any type of typhus develop. This serious disorder can become an emergency situation.