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	Typhus
	Definition
	The potentially fatal infectious diseases known as typhus are all caused by the same organism Rickettsia prowazekii. Relatively uncommon, these diseases still exist in places where people are crowded together in conditions of poor hygiene.
	Cause
	The typhus organism, R. prowazekii, is transmitted to humans from lice.
	Diagnosis
	About 2 weeks after infection, the patient suffers a severe headache and high fever; after 3 or 4 more days, a pinkish rash spreads over the body (except for the face).
	Treatment
	Early treatment with tetracycline or chloramphenicol is highly effective in curtailing this disease.
	Prevention
	Since it is transmitted by lice, proper hygiene frequent washing of clothes and bedsheets and avoidance of lice infestation prevent the spread of typhus.