ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Murine typhus, also known as endemic typhus, is a flea-borne infectious disease caused by Rickettsia typhi. The disease occurs sporadically in environments where rats and humans live in close proximity and typically in temperate and subtropical seaboard regions during warm months of the year. The illness is less commonly diagnosed in developed countries than in the developing part of the world due to improved hygiene and rat control efforts. It is difficult to establish the true incidence because of the difficulty in distinguishing murine typhus from other causes of rash and fever.
