During World War II, soldiers camping on the islands off the coast of Southeast

Question

During World War II, soldiers camping on the islands off the coast of Southeast Asia often developed fever, chills, and a headache after being bitten by mites in the brush through which they were crawling. The skin around the bite sites often sloughed off and the soldiers developed a generalized spotty rash. There were no antibiotics like tetracycline available at this time, so the mortality rate in these soldiers could be as high as 50%. What did these soldiers have and what is the organism that causes it?

Explanation / Answer

Louse borne relapsing fever and Epidemic typhus:

A louse borne relapsing fever disease can be highly influenced the course of wars (epidemic typhus) was caused by Rickettsia prowazekii and the typhus disease was transmitted through a body lice called Pediculus humanus. This disease was mostly common among the people who could not wash or delouse their clothing. This disease became epidemic within the armies present during the World War II. Typhus is a fatal disease and the widespread louse epidemics ceased being a problem when DDT dust became available during World War II. But the lice on the body can became resistant to DDT because of its repeat and intensive usage and also the other synthetic pesticides can worked as well. In the US neither nor louse-borne relapsing fever or epidemic typhus fever are not found.

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