Rickettsia prowazekii str. NMRC Madrid E Genome sequencing. Rickettsia prowazekii str. NMRC Madrid E

Rickettsia prowazekii is the causative agent of epidemic typhus. The classic vector of R. prowazekii is the human body louse, but there are also sporadic cases of R. prowazekii that may involve transmission from either flying squirrels or their lice/fleas. Comparison of human and flying squirrel isolates should aid our understanding of the biology of R. prowazekii in flying squirrels and the possible relationship to sporadic R. prowazekii infection of humans.