FACTOID #53: If you thought Antarctica was inhospitable, think again - its land area is only ninety-eight percent ice. Reassuringly, the other 2% is categorised as "barren rock".
Boutonneuse fever (also called Mediterranean Fever) is a fever as a result of a Rickettsial infection. Is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia connorii and transmitted by the dog tick Riphicephalus sanguineus. Boutonneuse fever, also called Mediterranean spotted fever is endemic in many countries surrounding the mediterranean sea. After the incubation period of around 7 days, the disease begins abruptly with chills, high fevers, muscular and articular pains, severe headache and photophobia. In the place of the bite forms a black crust ( tache noire) Around the 4 th day of the illness an exanthem appears, first macular and then maculopapular and sometimes petechial. the diagnosis is made with serologic methods , either the classic Weill Felix test ( aglutination of Proteus OX strains ), either ELISA or immunofluorescence assays. The illness is treated with chloramphenicol or doxicyclin. Fever is also the name of an album by Kylie Minogue. ... Species Rickettsia felis Rickettsia prowazekii Rickettsia rickettsii Rickettsia typhi Bacteria of the genus Rickettsia are carried as parasites by many ticks, fleas, and lice, and cause diseases such as typhus, rickettsialpox, Brill-Zinsser disease, Boutonneuse fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and endemic typhus in human beings. ...