Rickettsioses

**Definition:** Any disease caused by an infection with the gram-negative bacteria Rickettsia. These diseases commonly present with fever, malaise, and rash. Transmission is commonly through the bite of an infected flea, louse, mite, or tick.

**Long definition:** Rickettioses or Rickettsial infections, are a closely related group of bacterial infections causing clinically similar diseases characterized by fever, rash and vasculitis which can be associated to multi-organ involvement such as hepatosplenomegaly, heart failure, renal failure, bleeding and neurological complications.