Rickettsia prowazekii

**Semantic type:** Bacterium

**Definition:** A species of aerobic, Gram negative, rod and cocci shaped bacteria assigned to the phylum Proteobacteria. This species is obligately intracellular, motile and transmitted to humans by the human body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis. R. prowazekii is a pathogen that causes epidemic typhus and Brill Zinsser disease.

**Synonyms:** - RICKETTSIA PROWAZEKII