Sketchy Microbiology: Rickets Species Overview

Rickettsia Tennis — Rickets Species Overview

Everyone is wearing white — Its Gram indeterminate. Technically Gram negative rods but doesn’t gram stain well aka Pleomorphic

Inside of a dome — Obligate intracellular “parasite”

What else do we know about its transmission and colonization and culturing?

• Found in the cytoplasm of the host

• Transmitted via vectors (lice, fleas, mites, ticks)

• Can be cultured in living tissues (embryonate chicken eggs

NAD+ water bottle held by CoAch — Unable to produce NAD+ and CoA, so both are important for bacterial growth and replication

Players Weil and Felix — Weil Felix agglutination test to test for rickettsia infections (Old Method)

What is the modern way to test for Rickettsia?

• Giemsa and Gimenez Stain

• Immunoflourecent

• Immunohistologically

To confirm:

• Western Blot

• NAAT-PCR

Felix is holding his head and sweating – Prodromal Headache and fever in early rickettsia, along with VASCULITIS. Inflammation and destruction

Strings of tennis racket is bright red and broken – Vasculitis

Bumpy clay court — Rash

Treatment:

a. Bicycle tire - Doxcycline

b. Chloramphenicol if pregnant

c. Supportive care with vascular collapse