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murine typhus

murine typhus

9.9
An illness with fever and rash spread by fleas from rats or mice
  • noun
  • /ˈmjʊəraɪn ˈtaɪfəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tifus murino
  • Murine typhus can cause fever, chills, and a rash in those infected by flea bites.
  • murine typhus case

Examples

  • Murine typhus, an acute zoonotic infection caused by Rickettsia typhi (1), occurs worldwide.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The best way to prevent murine typhus is to minimize exposure to ectoparasite vectors by limiting contact with rodents and fleas.

    Academic text (2015)
  • A murine typhus case was initially identified in Reunion, France, in 2012 in a tourist.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Our results support the hypothesis that murine typhus could be a major cause of fever in Reunion.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Specific studies are needed to assess the effect of murine typhus on public health and to describe the epidemiology of the disease.

    Academic text (2015)
  • In early 2012, murine typhus was reported in a tourist returning from Reunion (7).

    Academic text (2015)
  • Murine typhus should be considered in local patients and in travelers returning from Reunion who have fevers of unknown origin.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Serologic and molecular evidence is sufficient to indicate that autochthonous transmission of murine typhus exists in Réunion.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Many travelers to Réunion are warned about the risk of contracting murine typhus during their stay.

  • Early symptoms of murine typhus include muscle aches and high fever, similar to other infectious diseases.

Synonyms

typhus
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
12 8.6

A serious disease spread by lice or fleas that causes high fever, headache, and a skin rash

is the specific flea transmitted acute infection with chills and muscle aches
endemic typhus
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
8.8

A disease caused by bacteria spread by flea bites that causes fever and rash

is the same illness but named differently in some contexts
urban typhus
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
8.9

An illness spread by infected fleas that causes fever, chills, muscle aches, and a rash

is the same disease term used particularly for city outbreaks
rat typhus
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
8.3

A serious disease that causes fever and a rash when fleas spread bacteria to people

is the same disease but term highlights rodent source
typhus fever
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
7.3

A serious infection spread by lice or fleas that causes high fever, headache, and a skin rash

is the same group but focuses more on high fever and headache
rickettsial disease
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
7.0

An illness people get when ticks, mites, or lice spread tiny germs

is a specific flea transmitted form with distinct fever chills and rash
rickettsiosis
vsmurine typhus
  • Specialized
9.9

An illness caused by bacteria spread by bites from ticks, mites, or lice

is narrower, a flea spread illness with fever chills muscle aches and rash

Surface Forms

murine typhus singular

Morphology

murine + typhus

Both constituents are semantically transparent: 'murine' means relating to mice/rats and 'typhus' denotes a disease transmitted by lice or fleas, so a learner who knows both words can infer this is a form of typhus associated with rodents. Although the term is somewhat technical/medical, its meaning is compositionally predictable from the parts and therefore accessible to someone familiar with the constituent words.

Etymology

Murine typhus: The name murine typhus comes from its parts: murine means 'from mice' and typhus is an old word for a 'fever illness'. It was named because mice and the fleas they carry spread the sickness, so today the name means 'a fever disease spread by mice and fleas'.