ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to delineate existing knowledge that depicts the interaction of Rickettsia rickettsii with susceptible host cells, and to explore the mechanisms by which this interaction can lead to cell injury. Intracellularly, the growth pattern of Rickettsia rickettsii is very similar in a variety of hosts. However, its mode of entry into susceptible non-phagocytic cells is not apparent. That Rickettsia rickettsii causes demonstrable injury to infected host cells in culture was first shown by M. Schaechter et al. The capacity of this organism and other rickettsiae to injure cells was further verified when plaque assay systems, similar to those used for viruses, were applied to rickettsial organisms by D. A. Wike and W. Burgdorfer and Wike et al. Intracellular injury to chicken embryo cells, L-cells, and human endothelial cells infected by Rickettsia rickettsii is inevitable once the organism penetrates the cell cytoplasm. This injury will eventually lead to cell lysis and death barring chemotherapeutic intervention.
