Notes on Rickettsia

Abstract

Among the recent advances in our knowledge of the aetiology of human diseases, one of the most interesting is the discovery of a new group of somewhat problematic organisms which have been grouped together under the generic name Rickettsia. Up to now their presence has been shown, more or less satisfactorily, to be associated with three types of human fevers, viz. typhus, trench fever and possibly Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and in the last few years a certain number of papers have appeared on this subject, the most comprehensive of which are those published by the British War Office Committee and the American Commission on trench fever. In addition it has been suggested that many other human diseases are caused by these organisms, but the evidence is so very unsatisfactory that it may be disregarded.