TYPHUS

[ty.phus] n [NL, fr. Gk typhos fever; akin to Gk typhein to smoke--more at deaf] (1785): any of various bacterial diseases caused by rickettsias: as a: a severe human febrile disease that is caused by one (Rickettsia prowazekii) transmitted esp. by body lice and is marked by high fever, stupor alternating with delirium, intense headache, and a dark red rash b: murine typhus c: tsutsugamushi disease