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rickettsia

(ri ket′sē ə)

☆

any of several families (esp. Rickettsiaceae) of Gram-negative bacteria that are the causative agents of certain diseases, as typhus or Rocky Mountain spotted fever: they are transmitted to animals and humans by the bite of certain lice, ticks, etc. in whose bodies they live as parasites

Origin: ModL, after H. T. Ricketts (1871-1910), U.S. pathologist + -ia

Related Forms:

rickettsial adjective

See rickettsia in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. rick·ett·si·ae (-sē-ēˌ)

Any of various bacteria of the genus Rickettsia, carried as parasites by many ticks, fleas, and lice, that cause diseases such as typhus, scrub typhus, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever in humans.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin Rickettsia, genus name

Origin: , after Howard Taylor Ricketts (1871-1910), American pathologist

Related Forms: