Rickettsialpox

Infectious Disease MONDO:0019360 Pathograph 14 Show in embeddings browser Spotted fever rickettsiosis Rickettsial disease

Rickettsialpox is an acute mite-borne rickettsiosis caused by the obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Rickettsia akari. The house mouse mite inoculates the organism into skin, producing an eschar at the bite site followed by fever and a papulovesicular exanthem. Although R. akari has been reassigned from the spotted fever group to the transitional group on genomic grounds, the infection remains clinically tied to the spotted-fever rickettsioses through eschar-associated cutaneous disease, microvascular endothelial infection, and spotted-fever-group serologic cross-reactivity.

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1
Definitions
9
Pathophys.
4
Phenotypes
14
Pathograph
1
Medical Actions
4
References
1
Deep Research
🏷

Classifications

Harrison's Part
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
📘

Definitions

1
Mite-borne Rickettsia akari disease
Rickettsialpox is a mite-borne rickettsial infection caused by Rickettsia akari, in which a vesicle at the bite site evolves to an eschar and is followed by fever with a papular or vesicular rash.
OTHER
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:18171106 SUPPORT BACKGROUND Human Clinical
"Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus"
Identifies the causal bacterium and the mite vector that define the disease.
⚙

Pathophysiology

9
Rickettsia akari Ribosomal Translation
R. akari, like other bacteria, requires 70S-ribosome translation of its mRNA. The bacterial ribosome is the conserved molecular target of tetracyclines, which block aminoacyl-tRNA entry at the 30S subunit and arrest rickettsial protein synthesis.
Translation GO:0006412 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves Translation (GO:0006412). GO:0006412 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:24336183 SUPPORT Other
"The ribosome is one of the main antibiotic targets in the bacterial cell."
The review establishes the bacterial ribosome as a principal antibiotic target, the conserved process represented by this R. akari node.
Obligate Intracellular Rickettsia akari Niche
R. akari is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium. Its cytosolic host-cell niche protects the organism from poorly cell-penetrant agents such as beta-lactams, so effective antimicrobial therapy must use drugs that accumulate inside eukaryotic cells.
Biological Process Involved in Interaction with Host GO:0051701 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves Biological Process Involved in Interaction with Host (GO:0051701). GO:0051701 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology.
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:28846279 SUPPORT Other
"Like other rickettsiae in the genus, R. akari is an intracellular gram-negative pathogen with features intermediate between viruses and bacteria."
Identifies the causal species as an intracellular Gram-negative pathogen.
PMID:18611821 SUPPORT Other
"The intracellular location of some microorganisms allow them to resist antibiotics with poor ability to penetrate eukaryotic cell membranes, such as the beta-lactam compounds."
Establishes the shared pharmacologic consequence of an intracellular bacterial niche.
Cutaneous Rickettsia akari Infection
After mite-bite inoculation, R. akari is present in the eschar and papular skin lesions that define rickettsialpox. CD68-positive macrophages dominate rickettsialpox skin lesions, making cutaneous mononuclear infection the directly observed early tissue compartment in human disease.
macrophage CL:0000235 Cell Ontology (CL) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this cell type This pathophysiological event involves macrophage (CL:0000235). CL:0000235 is a cell type from the Cell Ontology.
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:12860597 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"IHC staining of biopsy specimens of eschars and papular lesions were positive for spotted fever group rickettsiae for 32 patients."
Skin-biopsy immunohistochemistry localizes rickettsial antigen in the eschar and papular lesions of confirmed rickettsialpox cases.
PMID:30148688 SUPPORT REVIEW SYNTHESIS Other
"CD68+ macrophages are the predominant infected cells in the skin lesions of patients with rickettsialpox."
The review identifies the dominant infected cell type in rickettsialpox skin lesions.
Endothelial Rickettsial Invasion and Vascular Leak
R. akari was included among the SFG rickettsioses in a review that describes vascular endothelial invasion, direct endothelial damage, and increased vascular permeability as shared tissue events during systemic spread.
vascular endothelial cell CL:0002139 Cell Ontology (CL) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this cell type This pathophysiological event involves vascular endothelial cell, annotated with endothelial cell of vascular tree (CL:0002139). CL:0002139 is a cell type from the Cell Ontology.
biological process involved in interaction with host GO:0051701 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves biological process involved in interaction with host (GO:0051701). GO:0051701 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology. positive regulation of vascular permeability GO:0043117 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves increased positive regulation of vascular permeability (GO:0043117). GO:0043117 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology. ↑ INCREASED
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:2677080 SUPPORT REVIEW SYNTHESIS Other
"These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells, which are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability."
The review names rickettsialpox among SFG rickettsioses before describing endothelial invasion and vascular leak as the shared SFG lesion.
Macrophage Cytokine Response to Rickettsia akari
R. akari can infect macrophages with little direct macrophage cytotoxicity while increasing release of IL-1 beta and IL-6, linking the initial mononuclear-cell compartment to a local and systemic proinflammatory response.
macrophage CL:0000235 Cell Ontology (CL) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this cell type This pathophysiological event involves macrophage (CL:0000235). CL:0000235 is a cell type from the Cell Ontology.
cytokine production GO:0001816 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves increased cytokine production (GO:0001816). GO:0001816 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology. ↑ INCREASED
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:11953398 SUPPORT In Vitro
"Host cells responded to rickettsial infection with increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-6."
Infected macrophage cultures secreted proinflammatory cytokines after R. akari or R. typhi exposure.
Inoculation Eschar Formation
The local bite-site vesicle dries to an inoculation eschar, forming the early dermal lesion that marks the site of mite inoculation.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:28846279 SUPPORT Other
"One week after a mite bite, a vesicle appears, which dries up, leaving an eschar. The rash is often papular but can also be vesicular, hence the name rickettsialpox."
Describes the bite-site vesicle that dries to form a rickettsialpox eschar.
Small-Vessel Vasculitis
Endothelial infection and vascular leak in systemic rickettsialpox progress into the small-vessel lymphohistiocytic vasculitis that can support the disseminated rash.
vascular endothelial cell CL:0002139 Cell Ontology (CL) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this cell type This pathophysiological event involves vascular endothelial cell, annotated with endothelial cell of vascular tree (CL:0002139). CL:0002139 is a cell type from the Cell Ontology.
inflammatory response GO:0006954 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves increased inflammatory response (GO:0006954). GO:0006954 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology. ↑ INCREASED positive regulation of vascular permeability GO:0043117 Gene Ontology (GO) Relation: this pathophysiological event involves this biological process This pathophysiological event involves increased positive regulation of vascular permeability (GO:0043117). GO:0043117 is a biological process from the Gene Ontology. ↑ INCREASED
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:2677080 SUPPORT REVIEW SYNTHESIS Other
"These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells, which are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability."
The review ties SFG endothelial damage to the vascular leak that underlies downstream vasculitic skin lesions.
Papulovesicular Exanthem
Systemic rickettsial spread is followed by a generalized papular or vesicular eruption, the visible systemic cutaneous signature of rickettsialpox.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:14676069 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16 eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested."
The 18-patient New York City series confirms that papulovesicles in rickettsialpox contain SFG rickettsial antigen.
Rare Hepatic Involvement
Rickettsialpox can rarely involve the liver and present with acute hepatitis that resolves completely.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:18171106 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"In this report, we describe two patients with rickettsialpox who had acute hepatitis that resolved completely."
Reports acute, self-limited hepatitis in two rickettsialpox patients.
⬡

Pathograph

Use the checkboxes to hide or show graph categories. Hover nodes for evidence and cross-linked metadata.
Pathograph: causal mechanism network for Rickettsialpox Interactive directed graph showing how pathophysiology mechanisms, phenotypes, genetic factors and variants, experimental models, environmental triggers, and treatments relate through causal and linked edges.
●

Phenotypes

4
Digestive 1
Acute hepatitis OCCASIONAL HP:0200119 Human Phenotype Ontology (HP) Relation: this clinical feature is this phenotype This clinical feature is Acute hepatitis (HP:0200119). HP:0200119 is a phenotype from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:18171106 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"In this report, we describe two patients with rickettsialpox who had acute hepatitis that resolved completely."
Case reports establish acute self-limited hepatitis as a rare complication of rickettsialpox.
Immune 1
Papulovesicular eruption FREQUENT HP:0033700 Human Phenotype Ontology (HP) Relation: this clinical feature is this phenotype This clinical feature is Papulovesicular eruption (HP:0033700). HP:0033700 is a phenotype from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:12860597 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Samples were collected from patients with febrile illnesses accompanied by an eschar, a papulovesicular rash, or both."
The New York City case cluster used papulovesicular rash among its clinical ascertainment features.
PMID:14676069 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16 eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested."
Papulovesicles tested from clinically diagnosed rickettsialpox patients contained SFG rickettsial antigen.
Integument 1
Eschar FREQUENT HP:6000793 Human Phenotype Ontology (HP) Relation: this clinical feature is this phenotype This clinical feature is Eschar (HP:6000793). HP:6000793 is a phenotype from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:14676069 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16 eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested."
The 18-patient New York City series confirms that eschars in clinically diagnosed rickettsialpox contain SFG rickettsial antigen.
Metabolism 1
Fever FREQUENT HP:0001945 Human Phenotype Ontology (HP) Relation: this clinical feature is this phenotype This clinical feature is Fever (HP:0001945). HP:0001945 is a phenotype from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:12860597 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Samples were collected from patients with febrile illnesses accompanied by an eschar, a papulovesicular rash, or both."
The New York City case cluster was ascertained through febrile illnesses with eschars or papulovesicular rash.
💊

Medical Actions

1
Doxycycline pharmacotherapy
Action: PharmacotherapyNCI Thesaurus (NCIT) Relation: this treatment is this clinical intervention This treatment is Pharmacotherapy (NCIT:C15986). NCIT:C15986 is a clinical intervention from the NCI Thesaurus. NCIT:C15986
Agent: doxycycline CHEBI:50845 Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (CHEBI) Relation: this treatment uses this therapeutic agent This treatment uses doxycycline (CHEBI:50845). CHEBI:50845 is a therapeutic agent from Chemical Entities of Biological Interest.
Platform: Small molecule
Empiric doxycycline treats suspected spotted-fever-group rickettsioses, including rickettsialpox, by combining intracellular penetration with inhibition of the rickettsial 30S ribosomal subunit.
Mechanism Target:
Rickettsia akari Ribosomal Translation — Doxycycline inhibits bacterial protein synthesis at the 30S ribosomal subunit.
Obligate Intracellular Rickettsia akari Niche — Doxycycline is cell-penetrant and can reach intracellular R. akari.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:2677080 SUPPORT REVIEW SYNTHESIS Other
"Empiric treatment with doxycycline, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol should be given early in the course on the basis of clinical suspicion of the diagnosis of a SFG rickettsiosis."
The review includes rickettsialpox among spotted-fever-group rickettsioses and recommends empiric doxycycline for suspected SFG disease.
🔬

Diagnosis

2
Skin-lesion immunohistochemistry or molecular confirmation
Rickettsialpox can be confirmed from eschar or papular lesion biopsies by immunohistochemical staining for spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, R. akari PCR amplification, or organism isolation in cell culture.
skin biopsy immunostaining or PCR NCIT:C18020 NCI Thesaurus (NCIT)
Results: Detection of rickettsial antigen, R. akari DNA, or cultured R. akari confirms infection.
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:12860597 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"During February 2001 through August 2002, 34 cases of rickettsialpox in NYC were confirmed at CDC from cutaneous biopsy specimens tested by using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, PCR analysis, and isolation of Rickettsia akari in cell culture, as well as an indirect immunofluorescence assay..."
The CDC-confirmed case cluster used lesion immunostaining, PCR, culture, and paired serology to confirm rickettsialpox.
PMID:12860597 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"The 17-kDa protein gene sequence of R. akari was amplified from eschars of five patients. Four isolates of R. akari were obtained from cutaneous lesions."
Confirms that lesional skin can yield both R. akari sequence and live isolates.
Paired-serum indirect immunofluorescence assay
Paired acute and convalescent sera can confirm rickettsialpox when indirect immunofluorescence shows a fourfold or greater rise in antibodies reactive with R. akari.
serologic testing NCIT:C25294 NCI Thesaurus (NCIT)
Results: A fourfold or greater rise in antibody titer to R. akari confirms infection retrospectively.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:12860597 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Of the eleven patients for whom paired serum samples were obtained, all demonstrated fourfold or greater increases in antibody titers reactive with R. akari."
Paired serum specimens confirmed rickettsialpox by a fourfold antibody rise to R. akari in every paired sample from the New York City series.
🦠

Infectious Agent

1
Rickettsia akari
The obligate intracellular rickettsial species that causes rickettsialpox.
Rickettsia akari NCBITaxon:786 NCBI Taxonomy (NCBITaxon)
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:18171106 SUPPORT BACKGROUND Human Clinical
"Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus"
Names R. akari as the causal bacterial species.
↔️

Transmission

1
House mouse mite inoculation
R. akari is transmitted from a rodent reservoir to people by the house mouse mite Liponyssoides sanguineus rather than by ticks.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:18171106 SUPPORT BACKGROUND Human Clinical
"Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus"
Names the vector that inoculates R. akari during a bite.
{ }

Source YAML

click to show
name: Rickettsialpox
creation_date: "2026-09-25T11:47:36Z"
category: Infectious Disease
parents:
- Spotted fever rickettsiosis
- Rickettsial disease
synonyms:
- Rickettsia akari infection
description: >-
  Rickettsialpox is an acute mite-borne rickettsiosis caused by the obligate
  intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Rickettsia akari. The house mouse mite
  inoculates the organism into skin, producing an eschar at the bite site followed
  by fever and a papulovesicular exanthem. Although R. akari has been reassigned
  from the spotted fever group to the transitional group on genomic grounds, the
  infection remains clinically tied to the spotted-fever rickettsioses through
  eschar-associated cutaneous disease, microvascular endothelial infection, and
  spotted-fever-group serologic cross-reactivity.
disease_term:
  preferred_term: rickettsialpox
  term:
    id: MONDO:0019360
    label: rickettsialpox
references:
- reference: PMID:28846279
  title: "Rickettsia akari (Rickettsialpox)."
  tags:
  - StatPearls
  findings: []
- reference: PMID:18171106
  title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
  found_in:
  - Rickettsialpox-deep-research-openscientist.md
  findings:
  - statement: >-
      Rickettsialpox is caused by Rickettsia akari, is transmitted by the house
      mouse mite Liponyssoides sanguineus, and can rarely include self-limited
      acute hepatitis.
    supporting_text: >-
      Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia
      akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus
- reference: PMID:14676069
  title: >-
    Increased detection of rickettsialpox in a New York City hospital following the
    anthrax outbreak of 2001: use of immunohistochemistry for the rapid confirmation
    of cases in an era of bioterrorism.
  found_in:
  - Rickettsialpox-deep-research-openscientist.md
  findings:
  - statement: >-
      An 18-patient New York City case series supports rickettsialpox diagnosis
      from eschar or papulovesicle skin-biopsy immunohistochemistry and paired
      IgG serology.
    supporting_text: >-
      Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all
      16 eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested.
- reference: PMID:2677080
  title: Rickettsioses of the spotted fever group around the world.
  found_in:
  - Rickettsialpox-deep-research-openscientist.md
  findings:
  - statement: >-
      The spotted-fever-group review includes rickettsialpox among SFG
      rickettsioses, describes endothelial invasion with vascular permeability as
      the shared lesion, and names doxycycline as empiric treatment.
    supporting_text: >-
      These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells,
      which are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability.
classifications:
  harrisons_chapter:
  - classification_value: INFECTIOUS_DISEASES
    evidence:
    - reference: PMID:18171106
      reference_title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
      supports: SUPPORT
      evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
      quote_role: BACKGROUND
      snippet: >-
        Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia
        akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus
      explanation: >-
        Rickettsialpox is a bacterial rickettsiosis acquired from a mite vector,
        placing it in Harrison's infectious diseases part.
definitions:
- name: Mite-borne Rickettsia akari disease
  definition_type: OTHER
  description: >-
    Rickettsialpox is a mite-borne rickettsial infection caused by Rickettsia
    akari, in which a vesicle at the bite site evolves to an eschar and is followed
    by fever with a papular or vesicular rash.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:18171106
    reference_title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    quote_role: BACKGROUND
    snippet: >-
      Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia
      akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus
    explanation: >-
      Identifies the causal bacterium and the mite vector that define the disease.
infectious_agent:
- name: Rickettsia akari
  infectious_agent_term:
    preferred_term: Rickettsia akari
    term:
      id: NCBITaxon:786
      label: Rickettsia akari
  description: >-
    The obligate intracellular rickettsial species that causes rickettsialpox.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:18171106
    reference_title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    quote_role: BACKGROUND
    snippet: >-
      Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia
      akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus
    explanation: >-
      Names R. akari as the causal bacterial species.
transmission:
- name: House mouse mite inoculation
  description: >-
    R. akari is transmitted from a rodent reservoir to people by the house mouse
    mite Liponyssoides sanguineus rather than by ticks.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:18171106
    reference_title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    quote_role: BACKGROUND
    snippet: >-
      Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia
      akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus
    explanation: >-
      Names the vector that inoculates R. akari during a bite.
pathophysiology:
- name: Rickettsia akari Ribosomal Translation
  description: >-
    R. akari, like other bacteria, requires 70S-ribosome translation of its mRNA.
    The bacterial ribosome is the conserved molecular target of tetracyclines,
    which block aminoacyl-tRNA entry at the 30S subunit and arrest rickettsial
    protein synthesis.
  role: therapeutic_vulnerability
  conforms_to: "bacterial_protein_synthesis_inhibition#Bacterial mRNA Translation by the Ribosome"
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: Translation
    term:
      id: GO:0006412
      label: translation
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:24336183
    reference_title: "Ribosome-targeting antibiotics and mechanisms of bacterial resistance."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: >-
      The ribosome is one of the main antibiotic targets in the bacterial cell.
    explanation: >-
      The review establishes the bacterial ribosome as a principal antibiotic
      target, the conserved process represented by this R. akari node.
- name: Obligate Intracellular Rickettsia akari Niche
  description: >-
    R. akari is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium. Its cytosolic
    host-cell niche protects the organism from poorly cell-penetrant agents such
    as beta-lactams, so effective antimicrobial therapy must use drugs that
    accumulate inside eukaryotic cells.
  role: intrinsic_resistance
  conforms_to: "intracellular_pathogen_persistence#Intracellular Niche and Beta-Lactam Exclusion"
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: Biological Process Involved in Interaction with Host
    term:
      id: GO:0051701
      label: biological process involved in interaction with host
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:28846279
    reference_title: Rickettsia akari (Rickettsialpox).
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: >-
      Like other rickettsiae in the genus, R. akari is an intracellular gram-negative
      pathogen with features intermediate between viruses and bacteria.
    explanation: >-
      Identifies the causal species as an intracellular Gram-negative pathogen.
  - reference: PMID:18611821
    reference_title: "Intracellular organisms."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: >-
      The intracellular location of some microorganisms allow them to resist
      antibiotics with poor ability to penetrate eukaryotic cell membranes, such as
      the beta-lactam compounds.
    explanation: >-
      Establishes the shared pharmacologic consequence of an intracellular
      bacterial niche.
- name: Cutaneous Rickettsia akari Infection
  description: >-
    After mite-bite inoculation, R. akari is present in the eschar and papular
    skin lesions that define rickettsialpox. CD68-positive macrophages dominate
    rickettsialpox skin lesions, making cutaneous mononuclear infection the
    directly observed early tissue compartment in human disease.
  cell_types:
  - preferred_term: macrophage
    term:
      id: CL:0000235
      label: macrophage
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:12860597
    reference_title: "Rickettsialpox in New York City: a persistent urban zoonosis."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      IHC staining of biopsy specimens of eschars and papular lesions were positive for
      spotted fever group rickettsiae for 32 patients.
    explanation: >-
      Skin-biopsy immunohistochemistry localizes rickettsial antigen in the
      eschar and papular lesions of confirmed rickettsialpox cases.
  - reference: PMID:30148688
    reference_title: "Pathogenesis of Rickettsial Diseases: Pathogenic and Immune Mechanisms of an Endotheliotropic Infection."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    quote_role: REVIEW_SYNTHESIS
    snippet: >-
      CD68+ macrophages are the predominant infected cells in the skin lesions of
      patients with rickettsialpox.
    explanation: >-
      The review identifies the dominant infected cell type in rickettsialpox
      skin lesions.
  downstream:
  - target: Inoculation Eschar Formation
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Local infection at the bite site produces an inoculation eschar.
  - target: Endothelial Rickettsial Invasion and Vascular Leak
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: >-
      SFG rickettsiae spread from the inoculation site into vascular endothelial
      cells and increase permeability.
- name: Endothelial Rickettsial Invasion and Vascular Leak
  description: >-
    R. akari was included among the SFG rickettsioses in a review that describes
    vascular endothelial invasion, direct endothelial damage, and increased
    vascular permeability as shared tissue events during systemic spread.
  role: effector
  biological_scale: CELLULAR
  cell_types:
  - preferred_term: vascular endothelial cell
    term:
      id: CL:0002139
      label: endothelial cell of vascular tree
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: biological process involved in interaction with host
    term:
      id: GO:0051701
      label: biological process involved in interaction with host
  - preferred_term: positive regulation of vascular permeability
    modifier: INCREASED
    term:
      id: GO:0043117
      label: positive regulation of vascular permeability
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:2677080
    reference_title: Rickettsioses of the spotted fever group around the world.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    quote_role: REVIEW_SYNTHESIS
    snippet: >-
      These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells, which
      are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability.
    explanation: >-
      The review names rickettsialpox among SFG rickettsioses before describing
      endothelial invasion and vascular leak as the shared SFG lesion.
  downstream:
  - target: Small-Vessel Vasculitis
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Endothelial infection and leak progress into vasculitic tissue injury.
  - target: Rare Hepatic Involvement
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    description: >-
      Rare systemic extension of R. akari disease can include self-limited
      acute hepatitis.
- name: Macrophage Cytokine Response to Rickettsia akari
  description: >-
    R. akari can infect macrophages with little direct macrophage cytotoxicity
    while increasing release of IL-1 beta and IL-6, linking the initial
    mononuclear-cell compartment to a local and systemic proinflammatory response.
  cell_types:
  - preferred_term: macrophage
    term:
      id: CL:0000235
      label: macrophage
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: cytokine production
    term:
      id: GO:0001816
      label: cytokine production
    modifier: INCREASED
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:11953398
    reference_title: "Rickettsia-macrophage interactions: host cell responses to Rickettsia akari and Rickettsia typhi."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: >-
      Host cells responded to rickettsial infection with increased secretion of
      proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-6.
    explanation: >-
      Infected macrophage cultures secreted proinflammatory cytokines after
      R. akari or R. typhi exposure.
  downstream:
  - target: Inoculation Eschar Formation
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    description: Cytokine production contributes to local eschar inflammation.
  - target: Papulovesicular Exanthem
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    description: Cytokine production contributes to systemic exanthem formation.
  - target: Fever
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    description: Proinflammatory cytokine production contributes to systemic fever.
- name: Inoculation Eschar Formation
  description: >-
    The local bite-site vesicle dries to an inoculation eschar, forming the
    early dermal lesion that marks the site of mite inoculation.
  role: consequence
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:28846279
    reference_title: Rickettsia akari (Rickettsialpox).
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: >-
      One week after a mite bite, a vesicle appears, which dries up, leaving an eschar.
      The rash is often papular but can also be vesicular, hence the name
      rickettsialpox.
    explanation: >-
      Describes the bite-site vesicle that dries to form a rickettsialpox eschar.
  downstream:
  - target: Eschar
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: The bite-site lesion forms an eschar.
- name: Small-Vessel Vasculitis
  description: >-
    Endothelial infection and vascular leak in systemic rickettsialpox progress
    into the small-vessel lymphohistiocytic vasculitis that can support the
    disseminated rash.
  role: vascular_response
  biological_scale: TISSUE
  cell_types:
  - preferred_term: vascular endothelial cell
    term:
      id: CL:0002139
      label: endothelial cell of vascular tree
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: inflammatory response
    modifier: INCREASED
    term:
      id: GO:0006954
      label: inflammatory response
  - preferred_term: positive regulation of vascular permeability
    modifier: INCREASED
    term:
      id: GO:0043117
      label: positive regulation of vascular permeability
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:2677080
    reference_title: Rickettsioses of the spotted fever group around the world.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    quote_role: REVIEW_SYNTHESIS
    snippet: >-
      These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells, which
      are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability.
    explanation: >-
      The review ties SFG endothelial damage to the vascular leak that underlies
      downstream vasculitic skin lesions.
  downstream:
  - target: Papulovesicular Exanthem
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    description: Cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis contributes to the exanthem.
- name: Papulovesicular Exanthem
  description: >-
    Systemic rickettsial spread is followed by a generalized papular or
    vesicular eruption, the visible systemic cutaneous signature of
    rickettsialpox.
  role: consequence
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:14676069
    reference_title: >-
      Increased detection of rickettsialpox in a New York City hospital following
      the anthrax outbreak of 2001: use of immunohistochemistry for the rapid
      confirmation of cases in an era of bioterrorism.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16
      eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested.
    explanation: >-
      The 18-patient New York City series confirms that papulovesicles in
      rickettsialpox contain SFG rickettsial antigen.
  downstream:
  - target: Papulovesicular eruption
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: The rickettsialpox exanthem is papular to vesicular.
- name: Rare Hepatic Involvement
  description: >-
    Rickettsialpox can rarely involve the liver and present with acute hepatitis
    that resolves completely.
  role: consequence
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:18171106
    reference_title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      In this report, we describe two patients with rickettsialpox who had acute
      hepatitis that resolved completely.
    explanation: >-
      Reports acute, self-limited hepatitis in two rickettsialpox patients.
  downstream:
  - target: Acute hepatitis
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Hepatic involvement presents clinically as acute hepatitis.
phenotypes:
- category: Clinical
  name: Fever
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: Fever is part of the acute syndrome of rickettsialpox.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Fever
    term:
      id: HP:0001945
      label: Fever
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:12860597
    reference_title: "Rickettsialpox in New York City: a persistent urban zoonosis."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      Samples were collected from patients with febrile illnesses accompanied by an
      eschar, a papulovesicular rash, or both.
    explanation: >-
      The New York City case cluster was ascertained through febrile illnesses
      with eschars or papulovesicular rash.
- category: Dermatologic
  name: Eschar
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: A bite-site vesicle can dry into an inoculation eschar.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Eschar
    term:
      id: HP:6000793
      label: Eschar
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:14676069
    reference_title: >-
      Increased detection of rickettsialpox in a New York City hospital following
      the anthrax outbreak of 2001: use of immunohistochemistry for the rapid
      confirmation of cases in an era of bioterrorism.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16
      eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested.
    explanation: >-
      The 18-patient New York City series confirms that eschars in clinically
      diagnosed rickettsialpox contain SFG rickettsial antigen.
- category: Dermatologic
  name: Papulovesicular eruption
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: The generalized exanthem is often papular and can be vesicular.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Papulovesicular eruption
    term:
      id: HP:0033700
      label: Papulovesicular eruption
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:12860597
    reference_title: "Rickettsialpox in New York City: a persistent urban zoonosis."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      Samples were collected from patients with febrile illnesses accompanied by an
      eschar, a papulovesicular rash, or both.
    explanation: >-
      The New York City case cluster used papulovesicular rash among its
      clinical ascertainment features.
  - reference: PMID:14676069
    reference_title: >-
      Increased detection of rickettsialpox in a New York City hospital following
      the anthrax outbreak of 2001: use of immunohistochemistry for the rapid
      confirmation of cases in an era of bioterrorism.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16
      eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested.
    explanation: >-
      Papulovesicles tested from clinically diagnosed rickettsialpox patients
      contained SFG rickettsial antigen.
- category: Gastrointestinal
  name: Acute hepatitis
  frequency: OCCASIONAL
  description: Acute hepatitis is an uncommon, self-resolving systemic complication.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Acute hepatitis
    term:
      id: HP:0200119
      label: Acute hepatitis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:18171106
    reference_title: Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      In this report, we describe two patients with rickettsialpox who had acute
      hepatitis that resolved completely.
    explanation: >-
      Case reports establish acute self-limited hepatitis as a rare complication
      of rickettsialpox.
diagnosis:
- name: Skin-lesion immunohistochemistry or molecular confirmation
  description: >-
    Rickettsialpox can be confirmed from eschar or papular lesion biopsies by
    immunohistochemical staining for spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, R. akari
    PCR amplification, or organism isolation in cell culture.
  diagnosis_term:
    preferred_term: skin biopsy immunostaining or PCR
    term:
      id: NCIT:C18020
      label: Diagnostic Procedure
  results: Detection of rickettsial antigen, R. akari DNA, or cultured R. akari confirms infection.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:12860597
    reference_title: "Rickettsialpox in New York City: a persistent urban zoonosis."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      During February 2001 through August 2002, 34 cases of rickettsialpox in NYC were
      confirmed at CDC from cutaneous biopsy specimens tested by using
      immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, PCR analysis, and isolation of Rickettsia
      akari in cell culture, as well as an indirect immunofluorescence assay of serum
      specimens.
    explanation: >-
      The CDC-confirmed case cluster used lesion immunostaining, PCR, culture, and
      paired serology to confirm rickettsialpox.
  - reference: PMID:12860597
    reference_title: "Rickettsialpox in New York City: a persistent urban zoonosis."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      The 17-kDa protein gene sequence of R. akari was amplified from eschars of five
      patients. Four isolates of R. akari were obtained from cutaneous lesions.
    explanation: >-
      Confirms that lesional skin can yield both R. akari sequence and live
      isolates.
- name: Paired-serum indirect immunofluorescence assay
  description: >-
    Paired acute and convalescent sera can confirm rickettsialpox when indirect
    immunofluorescence shows a fourfold or greater rise in antibodies reactive
    with R. akari.
  diagnosis_term:
    preferred_term: serologic testing
    term:
      id: NCIT:C25294
      label: Laboratory Procedure
  results: A fourfold or greater rise in antibody titer to R. akari confirms infection retrospectively.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:12860597
    reference_title: "Rickettsialpox in New York City: a persistent urban zoonosis."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: >-
      Of the eleven patients for whom paired serum samples were obtained, all
      demonstrated fourfold or greater increases in antibody titers reactive with R.
      akari.
    explanation: >-
      Paired serum specimens confirmed rickettsialpox by a fourfold antibody
      rise to R. akari in every paired sample from the New York City series.
treatments:
- name: Doxycycline pharmacotherapy
  description: >-
    Empiric doxycycline treats suspected spotted-fever-group rickettsioses,
    including rickettsialpox, by combining intracellular penetration with
    inhibition of the rickettsial 30S ribosomal subunit.
  treatment_term:
    preferred_term: Pharmacotherapy
    term:
      id: NCIT:C15986
      label: Pharmacotherapy
    therapeutic_agent:
    - preferred_term: doxycycline
      term:
        id: CHEBI:50845
        label: doxycycline
  therapeutic_modality: SMALL_MOLECULE
  target_mechanisms:
  - target: Rickettsia akari Ribosomal Translation
    description: Doxycycline inhibits bacterial protein synthesis at the 30S ribosomal subunit.
  - target: Obligate Intracellular Rickettsia akari Niche
    description: Doxycycline is cell-penetrant and can reach intracellular R. akari.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:2677080
    reference_title: Rickettsioses of the spotted fever group around the world.
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    quote_role: REVIEW_SYNTHESIS
    snippet: >-
      Empiric treatment with doxycycline, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol should be
      given early in the course on the basis of clinical suspicion of the diagnosis of
      a SFG rickettsiosis.
    explanation: >-
      The review includes rickettsialpox among spotted-fever-group rickettsioses
      and recommends empiric doxycycline for suspected SFG disease.
📚

References & Deep Research

References

4
Rickettsia akari (Rickettsialpox).
No top-level findings curated for this source.
Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox.
1 finding
Rickettsialpox is caused by Rickettsia akari, is transmitted by the house mouse mite Liponyssoides sanguineus, and can rarely include self-limited acute hepatitis.
"Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus"
Increased detection of rickettsialpox in a New York City hospital following the anthrax outbreak of 2001: use of immunohistochemistry for the rapid confirmation of cases in an era of bioterrorism.
1 finding
An 18-patient New York City case series supports rickettsialpox diagnosis from eschar or papulovesicle skin-biopsy immunohistochemistry and paired IgG serology.
"Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16 eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested."
Rickettsioses of the spotted fever group around the world.
1 finding
The spotted-fever-group review includes rickettsialpox among SFG rickettsioses, describes endothelial invasion with vascular permeability as the shared lesion, and names doxycycline as empiric treatment.
"These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells, which are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability."

Deep Research

1

Deep research results are used as seeds for research; they do not undergo the same validation as the main records and may contain errors. How we use deep research.

Evaluations and curation notes (1)

Create: Rickettsialpox · 2026-09-25T12:07:34Z · View source

Created a standalone Rickettsialpox entry for MONDO:0019360 after exact ignored-file-inclusive local search found it only as a Spotted_Fever_Rickettsiosis subtype, Boomer analysis row, and rare-disease ICD worklist row. The only GitHub overlaps were the completed root curation issue/PR (#8890/#8899), whose root entry intentionally left rickettsialpox promotable; no active local or remote branch was found. PROMOTION. Kept Rickettsialpox under the Spotted fever rickettsiosis parent and updated the Rickettsialpox subtype description there from "No standalone dismech entry yet" to `Curated in full in Rickettsialpox.yaml`. DEEP RESEARCH. Ran `just research-disorder openscientist Rickettsialpox`; the report is `research/Rickettsialpox-deep-research-openscientist.md`, with the generated citation table and HTML/PDF artifacts committed alongside it. The report resolved all 13 references, but term validation correctly flagged several lead-quality CURIE errors: `NCIT:C842` for "Tetracycline antibiotic" resolves to Stanozolol, `NCIT:C242` for "Broad-spectrum; 50S ribosome inhibitor" resolves to Anti-Androgen, and `NCIT:C312` for doxycycline resolves to Bleomycin Sulfate. None were used. Doxycycline was instead modeled with the existing CHEBI:50845 agent under NCIT:C15986 Pharmacotherapy, following the nearby rickettsiosis treatment pattern. NEC. `just preflight-dr research/Rickettsialpox-deep-research-openscientist.md MONDO:0019360` returned SKIP because MONDO records no RO:0004003 causal gene for this acquired infection. Manual identity review matched the report to rickettsialpox throughout: MONDO:0019360, Rickettsia akari (NCBITaxon:786), mite-borne transmission, and the core New York City rickettsialpox case series all refer to the intended entity. CONTENT. Curated the Rickettsia akari infectious agent, house mouse mite transmission, the conserved intracellular and 70S-ribosome drug-mechanism module conformances, cutaneous R. akari infection, macrophage cytokine response, papulovesicular rash/eschar formation, and rare hepatic involvement. Added four phenotype nodes and wired all four to causal parents: fever, eschar, papulovesicular eruption, and rare acute hepatitis. Added diagnosis by lesional skin immunohistochemistry/PCR/culture and paired-serum indirect immunofluorescence. Added empiric doxycycline treatment targeting both the rickettsial ribosome node and the obligate intracellular niche. SOURCES. Reused existing cached rickettsialpox/Rickettsia akari evidence where exact snippets already supported the claim, and lifted three central sources from the OpenScientist report: Koss et al. for the 18-patient New York City diagnostic series (PMID:14676069), Madison et al. for rare self-limited hepatitis and the concise agent/vector statement (PMID:18171106), and Walker's spotted-fever-group review for the endothelial-invasion and doxycycline claims (PMID:2677080). Orphanet lists Rickettsialpox as ORPHA:83312 in the rare-disease ICD worklist, but `just fetch-reference ORPHA:83312` reported "No source found for reference type"; no hand-written Orphanet cache was created. VALIDATION. `just validate kb/disorders/Rickettsialpox.yaml` passed with 21 snippets checked, no skipped or unavailable snippets, and 24 titles checked. `just count-verified-snippets kb/disorders/Rickettsialpox.yaml` reported 21/21 snippets verified against cached references. `just list-disconnected-phenotypes kb/disorders/Rickettsialpox.yaml` reported 4/4 phenotype nodes causally connected. `just validate kb/disorders/Spotted_Fever_Rickettsiosis.yaml` passed after the parent row pointer edit.

OpenScientist ▸
Rickettsialpox (MONDO:0019360): A Comprehensive Disease Characteristics Report
openscientist-autonomous 13 citations 2026-09-25T05:04:08.236229

Rickettsialpox (MONDO:0019360): A Comprehensive Disease Characteristics Report

Summary

Rickettsialpox is a mild, self-limited febrile spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Rickettsia akari, transmitted to humans by the bite of the house-mouse mite Liponyssoides sanguineus, whose natural reservoir is the common house mouse (Mus musculus). It is an infectious, non-heritable urban zoonosis first described in New York City in 1946 and remains endemic there today. After an incubation period of roughly 9–14 days, patients develop a painless inoculation eschar at the mite-bite site, followed by abrupt fever, headache, chills, myalgia, and regional lymphadenopathy, and then a generalized papulovesicular ("chickenpox-like") rash. The illness resolves over 2–3 weeks, systemic complications (e.g., self-limited hepatitis) are rare, and no deaths have been attributed to the disease.

The pathophysiology is shared across the spotted fever group: R. akari invades vascular endothelial cells, damaging them directly, increasing vascular permeability, and producing a small-vessel lymphohistiocytic vasculitis that underlies both the local eschar and the disseminated rash. Diagnosis relies on the clinical triad (eschar + fever + papulovesicular rash), skin-biopsy immunohistochemistry demonstrating SFG rickettsiae, indirect immunofluorescence serology (a four-fold IgG rise or a single titer ≥1:64), and increasingly on PCR of eschar or lesion material (gltA, ompA, ompB, 17-kDa genes). Empiric doxycycline is curative and produces rapid defervescence; the prognosis is excellent.

Because rickettsialpox is not a nationally notifiable disease in the United States, it is widely under-diagnosed and under-reported; reported incidence tracks clinician awareness rather than true disease burden. Prevention is entirely environmental — rodent population control, mite/vector control with acaricides, and improved dwelling sanitation. There is no vaccine, no genetic susceptibility component, and no Mendelian OMIM/Orphanet entry, because the disease is infectious rather than heritable. Serologic evidence of R. akari exposure in urban dogs and cats supports a One Health, urban-rodent ecology and a broader geographic footprint than the classic New York foci.

This report is organized against the 15-section disease-characteristics template. Sections tied to genetic disease (causal genes, pathogenic variants, inheritance, model organisms of a heritable condition) are explicitly marked Not applicable because rickettsialpox is an acquired infection.


Key Findings

Finding 1 — Etiology: Rickettsia akari transmitted by the house-mouse mite

Rickettsialpox is caused by Rickettsia akari, an obligate intracellular, Gram-negative bacterium of the spotted fever group, and is transmitted to humans by the bite of the mite Liponyssoides sanguineus (formerly Allodermanyssus sanguineus), which infests the common house mouse Mus musculus. The causal chain — agent, vector, reservoir — is well established in primary literature. As stated directly: "Rickettsialpox is an acute, self-limited, febrile illness caused by Rickettsia akari and transmitted by Liponyssoides sanguineus, a mite that infests the common house mouse, Mus musculus" PMID: 18171106.

Serologic and immunohistochemical confirmation of R. akari as the etiologic agent in human cases was documented in a consecutive New York City hospital case series: "A 4-fold or greater increase in IgG antibody titers reactive with Rickettsia akari was observed in all 9 patients for whom acute and convalescent phase samples were available" PMID: 14676069. Because transmission is mite-borne rather than tick-borne, rickettsialpox is unusual among SFG rickettsioses; the mite vector both maintains the organism transovarially and delivers it during blood feeding.

Evidence type: human clinical / serologic (aggregated case series). Organism terms: Rickettsia akari (NCBITaxon:786); Mus musculus (NCBITaxon:10090); vector Liponyssoides sanguineus.

Finding 2 — Clinical presentation and endemic urban persistence

Rickettsialpox presents as a self-limited febrile illness defined by two hallmark skin lesions: an inoculation eschar and a generalized papulovesicular rash. In a consecutive NYC series of 18 patients (2001–2002), immunohistochemistry detected SFG rickettsiae in the great majority of lesions: "Immunohistochemical testing revealed spotted fever group rickettsiae in all 16 eschars and in 5 of the 9 papulovesicles tested" PMID: 14676069. The disease is clinically important because it mimics more dangerous conditions: "Rickettsialpox is a self-limited febrile illness with skin lesions that may be mistaken for signs of potentially more serious diseases, such as cutaneous anthrax or chickenpox" PMID: 14676069. Notably, 50% of that series presented in the five months after the October 2001 anthrax bioterrorism events, indicating that heightened clinician awareness — not a true rise in incidence — drove detection.

Systemic complications are uncommon but recognized; self-resolving hepatitis has been reported: "we describe two patients with rickettsialpox who had acute hepatitis that resolved completely" PMID: 18171106.

Evidence type: human clinical case series.

Finding 3 — Pathophysiology: endothelial invasion and small-vessel vasculitis

The core pathophysiology is shared with the entire spotted fever group. In David Walker's authoritative SFG review, "These obligate intracellular bacteria invade vascular endothelial cells, which are damaged directly, causing increased vascular permeability" PMID: 2677080, and an eschar forms at the site of the vector bite. Mechanistic studies of related SFG rickettsiae (R. conorii, R. parkeri) confirm the shared pathogenic program that is inferred to apply to R. akari: preferential tropism for microvascular endothelium producing barrier dysfunction and increased permeability. "Obligate intracellular bacteria which exhibit preferential tropism for host microvascular endothelium in the mammalian hosts, resulting in disease manifestations attributed primarily to endothelial damage or dysfunction" PMID: 32977742; and "vascular inflammation and dysfunction represent salient features of rickettsial pathogenesis" PMID: 33003310.

Downstream molecular events characterized in SFG models include mTOR (mTORC1/mTORC2) activation in infected human endothelial cells PMID: 33003310, and endothelial secretome/exosome changes that drive barrier dysfunction and edema PMID: 31955791, PMID: 33975935.

Evidence type: authoritative review (human) + in vitro/in vivo mechanistic studies of related SFG species (inferred to R. akari).

Finding 4 — Diagnosis and curative treatment

Diagnosis relies on serology and biopsy immunohistochemistry, and empiric doxycycline is curative. Per Walker: "Rickettsiae are demonstrable by diagnostic immunohistology in biopsies of rash or eschar. Empiric treatment with doxycycline, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol should be given early in the course on the basis of clinical suspicion" PMID: 2677080. The NYC series demonstrated diagnosis by IHC of paraffin-embedded skin biopsy (SFG rickettsiae in 16/16 eschars and 5/9 papulovesicles) and by indirect immunofluorescence serology (four-fold IgG rise or single titer ≥1:64) PMID: 14676069. Serology cross-reacts broadly across the SFG (e.g., R. rickettsii antigen can be used as a screen). Rickettsialpox is self-limited even without treatment, with no reported deaths, and doxycycline produces rapid resolution.

Evidence type: authoritative review + human case series.

Finding 5 — One Health ecology: animal seroreactivity

Urban companion animals show measurable R. akari seroreactivity, supporting a One Health, urban-rodent ecology and a broad geographic distribution. In New York City dogs, "Cross-absorption testing indicated that in 6 of 7 samples, infection was caused by R akari. Results suggest that dogs can be naturally infected with R akari" PMID: 11394829; 7.7% of 311 dogs were EIA-positive for SFG rickettsiae, with tick infestation and increasing age as significant risk factors. Among 170 US cats, seroprevalence was "14.9% for R akari" PMID: 16434226. Human SFG seroreactivity including R. akari was also detected in a Papua New Guinea serosurvey PMID: 16450784, indicating exposure beyond the classic foci.

Evidence type: veterinary/human seroepidemiology.

Finding 6 — Clinical course and natural history

The classic natural history is a ~9–14 day incubation, a painless inoculation eschar, then fever/headache and a generalized papulovesicular rash resolving over 2–3 weeks. A mite bite produces a painless papule that becomes a vesicle and then a black-crusted eschar (IHC-positive in 16/16 eschars in the Koss series) PMID: 14676069. After incubation, patients develop abrupt fever, chills, headache, myalgia, and often regional lymphadenopathy, followed within 2–3 days by a generalized papulovesicular eruption (IHC-positive in 5/9 papulovesicles). Eschar formation at the vector inoculation site is a defining SFG feature: "Eschar occurs in some SFG rickettsioses at the site of tick bite" PMID: 2677080. The illness is acute and self-limited; systemic complications are rare (occasional self-resolving hepatitis) PMID: 18171106.

Finding 7 — Epidemiology and prevention: under-reported urban zoonosis

Rickettsialpox is not nationally notifiable in the US and is regarded as under-diagnosed and under-reported; reported incidence tracks clinician awareness. The NYC authors concluded: "Rickettsialpox remains endemic in New York City, and the bioterrorism attacks of October 2001 may have led to increased awareness and detection of this disease" PMID: 14676069. The disease occurs where humans contact the rodent-associated mite: "The hematophagic-biting mite, Liponyssoides sanguineus, is a mite of the rat, mouse, and other domestic rodents but can also bite humans" PMID: 17114713, with ectoparasite exposure heightened in homeless and inner-city populations. Prevention is achieved through rodent population control, mite/vector control (acaricides), and improved sanitation.

Finding 8 — Identifiers and classification

Rickettsialpox is classified as an infectious spotted fever group rickettsiosis, not a genetic disease. Phylogenetic analysis of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene places the mite-borne organism within the SFG cluster: "the mite-borne organism Rickettsia akari were associated with the SFG cluster" PMID: 9103608. Standard identifiers: MONDO:0019360; ICD-10 A79.1 (Rickettsialpox due to Rickettsia akari); MeSH D012288; pathogen NCBITaxon:786. There is no OMIM or Orphanet Mendelian entry because the disease is infectious. Synonyms include vesicular rickettsiosis and Kew Gardens spotted fever.


Report by Template Section

1. Disease Information

Overview. Rickettsialpox is an acute, mild, self-limited febrile illness caused by Rickettsia akari and transmitted by the mite Liponyssoides sanguineus PMID: 18171106. It is characterized by an inoculation eschar and a disseminated papulovesicular rash, and it resolves without sequelae.

Key identifiers. MONDO:0019360; ICD-10 A79.1; MeSH D012288 (Rickettsialpox); pathogen taxon NCBITaxon:786 (Rickettsia akari). No OMIM or Orphanet entry (non-heritable, infectious disease).

Synonyms / alternative names. Vesicular rickettsiosis; Kew Gardens spotted fever; Rickettsia akari infection.

Information source. Derived predominantly from aggregated disease-level resources and hospital case series (e.g., the New York City consecutive series, PMID 14676069) plus authoritative SFG reviews — not individual EHR-level datasets.

2. Etiology

  • Causal factor (infectious): Rickettsia akari, an obligate intracellular SFG bacterium PMID: 18171106, PMID: 14676069.
  • Vector: the house-mouse mite Liponyssoides sanguineus PMID: 18171106, PMID: 17114713.
  • Reservoir: the common house mouse Mus musculus PMID: 18171106.
  • Genetic risk factors: None identified. No human susceptibility loci, GWAS signals, or modifier genes are known; this is an acquired infection.
  • Environmental risk factors: residence in or exposure to mouse-infested dwellings, crowded urban housing, and inner-city/homeless settings with heightened ectoparasite exposure PMID: 14676069, PMID: 17114713.
  • Protective factors: rodent and mite control; sealing dwellings; sanitation. No genetic protective variants known.
  • Gene–environment interactions: Not applicable (no genetic component).

3. Phenotypes

Phenotype Type Suggested HPO Frequency / notes
Inoculation eschar (tache noire) Physical skin sign HP:0200042 (Skin ulcer) / eschar Nearly universal; IHC-positive 16/16 eschars PMID: 14676069
Papulovesicular ("chickenpox-like") rash Physical skin manifestation HP:0000988 (Skin rash); HP:0200037 (Vesicle) Generalized; IHC-positive 5/9 papulovesicles PMID: 14676069
Fever Symptom HP:0001945 (Fever) Abrupt, near-universal PMID: 14676069
Headache Symptom HP:0002315 (Headache) Common
Chills / myalgia Symptom HP:0025143 (Chills); HP:0003326 (Myalgia) Common
Regional lymphadenopathy Clinical sign HP:0002716 (Lymphadenopathy) Frequent
Hepatitis (elevated transaminases) Laboratory / organ HP:0200119 (Hepatitis) Uncommon, self-resolving PMID: 18171106

Onset: adult-onset in most reported cases (exposure-dependent, any age). Severity: mild to moderate. Progression: acute, self-limited, resolving over 2–3 weeks. Quality-of-life impact: minimal and transient; full recovery is the norm.

4. Genetic / Molecular Information

Not applicable. Rickettsialpox is an infectious disease with no causal human genes, pathogenic variants, modifier genes, epigenetic drivers, or chromosomal abnormalities. Molecular characterization pertains to the pathogen genome (SFG classification by gltA/citrate synthase phylogeny PMID: 9103608), not the host.

5. Environmental Information

  • Environmental factors: proximity to house-mouse populations and their mites in urban dwellings PMID: 17114713.
  • Lifestyle factors: living conditions with rodent infestation; inner-city/homeless exposure PMID: 17114713.
  • Infectious agent: Rickettsia akari (NCBITaxon:786), an obligate intracellular SFG bacterium PMID: 18171106.

6. Mechanism / Pathophysiology

Ordered causal chain (initiating lesion → clinical manifestation):

1. Infected mite (Liponyssoides sanguineus) bites human skin
     └─ inoculates R. akari into the dermis
↓ leads to
2. R. akari attaches to and invades local vascular endothelial cells
   (obligate intracellular replication)
↓ results in
3. Direct endothelial cell damage + local dermal infection/necrosis
↓ leads to
4. Formation of the inoculation ESCHAR at the bite site
│
├─ (branch, local) eschar = tache noire
│
↓ concurrently, hematogenous / lymphatic dissemination
5. Systemic seeding of microvascular endothelium in skin and organs
↓ leads to
6. Endothelial barrier dysfunction + increased vascular permeability
   (mTORC1/2 activation; secretome/exosome changes — shown in SFG models,
    inferred for R. akari)
↓ results in
7. Small-vessel LYMPHOHISTIOCYTIC VASCULITIS
↓ produces
8. Clinical manifestations: fever, headache, myalgia, lymphadenopathy,
   and the disseminated PAPULOVESICULAR RASH
│
└─ (rare branch) hepatic endothelial involvement → self-limited hepatitis
  • Upstream events: mite inoculation and endothelial invasion (steps 1–2).
  • Downstream events: vasculitis, permeability, rash and systemic symptoms (steps 6–8).
  • Cell types (CL): vascular endothelial cell (CL:0000115); macrophage/histiocyte and lymphocyte infiltrates in the perivascular lymphohistiocytic reaction.
  • Biological processes (GO): GO:0044409 (entry into host); regulation of vascular permeability; inflammatory response; GO:0031929 (TOR signaling).
  • Molecular pathways: mTOR (mTORC1/mTORC2) activation in infected endothelium PMID: 33003310.
  • Immune involvement: perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltration; innate and T-cell responses control rickettsial propagation (illustrated in the R. parkeri benidipine model, where impaired Ca²⁺/innate signaling converted sublethal to lethal infection PMID: 38408129).
  • Proteomic/secretome markers: the rickettsial protein RC0497 (putative N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase) is secreted into the endothelial secretome and circulates during SFG infection PMID: 31955791; endothelial exosomes contribute functionally to infection PMID: 33975935.

Note: Steps 6–7's molecular detail is demonstrated primarily in related SFG species (R. conorii, R. parkeri) and is inferred to apply to R. akari, which shares the endothelial-tropism program PMID: 2677080, PMID: 32977742.

7. Anatomical Structures Affected

  • Primary organ/tissue: skin (UBERON:0002097), at the eschar and across the papulovesicular rash.
  • Vascular system: small blood vessels / microvasculature (UBERON:0001981) — the primary target through endothelial infection.
  • Secondary organ involvement: liver (UBERON:0002107) in rare hepatitis PMID: 18171106; regional lymph nodes (UBERON:0000029).
  • Body systems: integumentary and cardiovascular (microvascular); reticuloendothelial (lymphadenopathy).
  • Cell level: vascular endothelial cells (CL:0000115) are the primary infected cell; perivascular macrophages/histiocytes and lymphocytes constitute the inflammatory infiltrate.
  • Subcellular (GO cellular component): cytoplasm of endothelial cells (obligate intracellular replication); host plasma membrane at entry.
  • Localization / lateralization: eschar is typically solitary and unilateral at the bite site; the rash is generalized/bilateral.

8. Temporal Development

  • Incubation: ~9–14 days from mite bite to systemic symptoms PMID: 14676069.
  • Onset pattern: eschar develops first (subacute local lesion), then abrupt/acute onset of fever and constitutional symptoms; rash follows within 2–3 days.
  • Progression: self-limited; resolves over ~2–3 weeks.
  • Course: monophasic, non-relapsing; no chronic phase.
  • Remission: spontaneous (even untreated) and accelerated by doxycycline.
  • Critical intervention window: early empiric doxycycline shortens symptomatic course; because the disease is benign, timing is less critical than in Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but early treatment remains standard PMID: 2677080.

9. Inheritance and Population

  • Inheritance: Not applicable — infectious, non-heritable. No penetrance, expressivity, anticipation, mosaicism, founder-effect, consanguinity, or carrier-frequency parameters apply.
  • Epidemiology: under-reported; not nationally notifiable in the US. Endemic in urban New York City and reported in other urban centers and internationally (seroepidemiologically in additional regions) PMID: 14676069, PMID: 16450784. Precise prevalence/incidence figures are unreliable due to under-diagnosis.
  • Geographic distribution: worldwide wherever the house mouse and its mite coexist with humans; classically urban.
  • Demographics: linked to mouse-infested housing; heightened exposure in crowded inner-city and homeless populations PMID: 17114713. No strong intrinsic sex or ethnic predisposition beyond exposure differences.

10. Diagnostics

  • Clinical criteria: the triad of eschar + fever + papulovesicular rash with a compatible exposure history.
  • Histopathology/IHC (confirmatory): immunohistochemistry of eschar or papulovesicle biopsy detects SFG rickettsiae (16/16 eschars, 5/9 papulovesicles) PMID: 14676069; biopsy immunohistology is the gold-standard tissue confirmation per Walker PMID: 2677080.
  • Serology (IFA): four-fold IgG rise or single titer ≥1:64 reactive with R. akari; useful mainly in convalescence and cross-reactive across SFG PMID: 14676069, PMID: 2677080.
  • Molecular (PCR): amplification/sequencing of gltA, ompA, ompB, and 17-kDa antigen genes from eschar/lesion material identifies and speciates SFG rickettsiae; gltA phylogeny confirms R. akari within SFG PMID: 9103608.
  • Laboratory findings: may include mild transaminase elevation in hepatitis cases PMID: 18171106.
  • Genetic/omics testing: Not applicable to host diagnosis.
  • Differential diagnosis: chickenpox (varicella), cutaneous anthrax, other SFG rickettsioses, disseminated herpes, and vesicular eruptions PMID: 14676069.

11. Outcome / Prognosis

  • Mortality: ≈0%; no deaths attributed to rickettsialpox PMID: 14676069, PMID: 2677080.
  • Morbidity: low; illness is self-limited with full recovery.
  • Complications: rare, notably self-resolving hepatitis PMID: 18171106.
  • Recovery: complete, with or without antibiotics; doxycycline accelerates resolution.
  • Prognostic factors: benign regardless; prompt doxycycline shortens symptom duration.

12. Treatment

Intervention Class / mechanism Suggested NCIT Evidence
Doxycycline (first-line) Tetracycline; inhibits bacterial 30S ribosome / protein synthesis NCIT:C312 (Doxycycline) PMID: 2677080
Tetracycline Tetracycline antibiotic NCIT:C842 PMID: 2677080
Chloramphenicol Broad-spectrum; 50S ribosome inhibitor (alternative) NCIT:C242 PMID: 2677080

Empiric doxycycline should be started early on clinical suspicion and produces rapid defervescence PMID: 2677080. No gene, cell, RNA, or immunotherapy is relevant. No pharmacogenomic modifiers are established. Supportive care (antipyretics) is adjunctive. Because the disease is self-limited, treatment mainly shortens symptomatic duration.

13. Prevention

  • Primary prevention (environmental): rodent population control, mite/vector control with acaricides, sealing and sanitizing dwellings to eliminate house-mouse infestation PMID: 17114713, PMID: 18171106.
  • Secondary prevention: clinician awareness and prompt recognition/treatment; enhanced surveillance (the disease is under-reported) PMID: 14676069.
  • Immunization: None — no vaccine exists.
  • Public health: integrated urban rodent/ectoparasite control and health education; One Health surveillance including companion-animal sentinels PMID: 11394829.
  • Genetic screening / counseling: Not applicable.

14. Other Species / Natural Disease

  • Reservoir host: house mouse Mus musculus (NCBITaxon:10090); the vector is the mite Liponyssoides sanguineus PMID: 18171106.
  • Companion-animal exposure (sentinels): dogs — natural R. akari infection confirmed by cross-absorption (6/7 samples) with 7.7% SFG seropositivity in 311 NYC dogs PMID: 11394829; cats — 14.9% R. akari seroprevalence among 170 US cats PMID: 16434226.
  • Zoonotic potential: rickettsialpox is inherently a zoonosis (rodent reservoir, mite vector, human incidental host).
  • Comparative biology: endothelial-tropism pathogenesis is conserved across SFG rickettsiae in mammalian hosts PMID: 2677080, PMID: 32977742.

15. Model Organisms

Because rickettsialpox is infectious, "model organisms" refer to infection models, not genetic disease models. Murine models of SFG rickettsiosis (e.g., R. conorii and R. parkeri in mice) recapitulate endothelial infection, vascular permeability, and disease severity, and have been used to test mechanistic interventions — for example, the calcium-channel blocker benidipine converted sublethal to lethal R. parkeri infection by impairing innate immunity PMID: 38408129. Primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) serve as the standard in vitro model for endothelial infection, secretome, and mTOR signaling studies PMID: 31955791, PMID: 33003310. These models capture the shared SFG endothelial pathogenesis but are largely developed for more virulent species; R. akari-specific models are sparse, and its intrinsically mild phenotype limits severity-focused modeling.


Mechanistic Model / Interpretation

The disease can be read as a single mechanistic story with one local branch and one systemic branch, both flowing from a single lesion — endothelial infection.

Stage Location Key event Manifestation
Inoculation Skin (bite site) Mite deposits R. akari (none yet)
Local infection Dermal microvasculature Endothelial invasion + necrosis Eschar
Dissemination Blood / lymph Hematogenous spread Incubation → fever onset
Systemic infection Microvascular endothelium (skin, organs) Barrier dysfunction, ↑permeability, mTOR activation Fever, headache, myalgia
Vasculitis Small vessels Lymphohistiocytic perivascular infiltrate Papulovesicular rash
Rare extension Hepatic endothelium Focal inflammation Self-limited hepatitis
Resolution Systemic Immune clearance ± doxycycline Recovery in 2–3 weeks

The unifying insight is that R. akari is a comparatively avirulent member of a virulent family. It uses the same endothelial-tropism program as R. conorii and R. rickettsii — invade endothelium, damage it, increase vascular permeability, trigger small-vessel vasculitis — but produces a mild, self-limited disease with near-zero mortality. The clinical hallmarks (eschar + papulovesicular rash) map directly onto the local and systemic branches of endothelial infection. This makes rickettsialpox both a diagnostic mimic (chickenpox, cutaneous anthrax) and an informative "benign end" of the SFG severity spectrum.


Evidence Base

PMID Title (abbrev.) Role in this report
14676069 Increased detection of rickettsialpox in a NYC hospital (2001 anthrax era) Core human case series: IHC diagnosis (16/16 eschars, 5/9 papulovesicles), serology criteria, endemicity, differentials, under-reporting
18171106 Hepatitis in association with rickettsialpox Etiology/vector/reservoir statement; rare self-limited hepatitis
2677080 Rickettsioses of the spotted fever group around the world (Walker review) Endothelial-invasion mechanism; eschar; biopsy IHC diagnosis; doxycycline/tetracycline/chloramphenicol treatment
32977742 Comparative transcriptomics of R. conorii Microvascular endothelial tropism / endothelial damage (SFG-wide, inferred to R. akari)
33003310 mTOR activation in infected human endothelial cells Downstream signaling; vascular inflammation as core SFG feature
31955791 Endothelial secretome proteomics (RC0497) Secretome/barrier dysfunction; candidate diagnostic marker
33975935 Endothelial exosome in rickettsial infection Barrier dysfunction/edema mechanism
38408129 Benidipine impairs innate immunity (mouse R. parkeri) Immune control; infection model relevance
11394829 R. akari serology in NYC dogs One Health ecology; natural canine infection (6/7 cross-absorbed)
16434226 Vector-borne pathogen serology in cats 14.9% feline R. akari seroprevalence
16450784 Rickettsial antibody survey, Papua New Guinea SFG/R. akari exposure beyond classic foci
17114713 Arthropod-borne diseases in homeless Rodent-mite exposure pathway; prevention rationale
9103608 Citrate synthase (gltA) phylogeny Classification of R. akari within SFG

Evidence types span human clinical case series (14676069, 18171106), authoritative reviews (2677080), in vitro/in vivo mechanistic studies of related SFG species (32977742, 33003310, 31955791, 33975935, 38408129), seroepidemiology (11394829, 16434226, 16450784), and molecular phylogeny (9103608).


Limitations and Knowledge Gaps

  1. Mechanistic detail is inferred, not R. akari-specific. The endothelial-invasion, permeability, mTOR, secretome, and exosome findings come from R. conorii/R. parkeri models. While the shared SFG program strongly supports extrapolation, direct R. akari molecular studies are sparse.
  2. Epidemiology is unreliable. The disease is not notifiable and is under-diagnosed; no dependable prevalence/incidence rates exist, and reported case counts track awareness (e.g., the post-2001 detection spike).
  3. Case-series bias. Much of the human clinical data derives from a single NYC hospital series, limiting generalizability of phenotype frequencies.
  4. Sparse international quantitative data. Global distribution is supported qualitatively and serologically, but few systematic surveys quantify burden outside New York.
  5. No modern therapeutic trials. Treatment recommendations rest on decades of clinical experience and reviews rather than randomized trials (ethically unnecessary given benignity, but formally a gap).
  6. Not-applicable sections. Genetic, inheritance, and pharmacogenomic sections are empty by nature; this is correct for an infection, not a data deficiency.

Proposed Follow-up Experiments / Actions

  1. Direct R. akari endothelial-infection studies. Perform transcriptomic/proteomic and mTOR-pathway characterization in HUVEC infected with R. akari to confirm (rather than infer) the shared SFG mechanism and to explain its low virulence.
  2. RC0497 (or ortholog) as a rapid diagnostic. Test whether the R. akari homolog of the secreted amidase RC0497 PMID: 31955791 is detectable in acute rickettsialpox sera to enable early, species-agnostic point-of-care diagnosis.
  3. PCR/next-gen sequencing standardization. Validate a multiplex gltA/ompA/ompB/17-kDa PCR panel on eschar swabs and lesion capillary blood for early confirmation, reducing reliance on convalescent serology.
  4. Sentinel surveillance via companion animals. Use canine/feline seroprevalence as an early-warning sentinel for urban R. akari activity and to map geographic footprint PMID: 11394829, PMID: 16434226.
  5. Burden quantification. Conduct multi-city seroprevalence surveys in humans in housing with documented mouse infestation to estimate true incidence and correct for under-reporting.
  6. Vector-control evaluation. Prospectively measure the effect of integrated rodent + acaricide interventions on human case counts in endemic urban zones.

Report compiled from an autonomous 5-iteration investigation: 8 confirmed findings, 46 papers reviewed. Rickettsialpox is treated throughout as an infectious, non-heritable zoonosis; genetic/inheritance template sections are marked Not Applicable accordingly.

Artifacts

Reference Validation

Checked with linkml-reference-validator 0.3.0rc1.

Outcome Count
References checked 13
Resolved 13
Unresolved (possible confabulation) 0
Unverifiable 0
References weighed for topical relevance 13
On topic 6
Off topic 0

All extracted references resolved successfully.

Term Validation

Checked with linkml-term-validator 0.4.5, through the ols: adapter.

Outcome Count
Terms checked 22
Resolved 22
Unresolved (possible confabulation) 0
Obsolete 0
Unverifiable 0
Terms whose name was checked 16
Terms named correctly 5
Terms named as a different term 5
Terms whose name is worth a second look 6

Terms the report names something else

These identifiers resolve, so nothing about them looks wrong, and the ontology calls them something unrelated to what the report calls them. That usually means the identifier is not the one the sentence needs:

  • NCBITaxon:10090 (2 mentions) - the report calls it "Mus musculus", "Reservoir host: house mouse *Mus musculus"; NCBITaxon calls it Mus musculus**
  • UBERON:0001981 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Vascular system: small blood vessels / microvasculature"; UBERON calls it blood vessel**
  • UBERON:0002107 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Secondary organ involvement: liver"; UBERON calls it liver**
  • NCIT:C842 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Tetracycline antibiotic"; NCIT calls it Stanozolol
  • NCIT:C242 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Broad-spectrum; 50S ribosome inhibitor (alternative)"; NCIT calls it Anti-Androgen

Terms whose name is worth a second look

The report's name for these is recognisably related to the term's own name without being one of them. A loose paraphrase reads the same way as a citation of the wrong sibling term - and so does a related synonym, which the ontology records precisely because it names something adjacent rather than the same thing - so these are listed rather than judged:

  • NCBITaxon:786 (4 mentions) - the report calls it "Rickettsia akari", "Infectious agent: *Rickettsia akari"; NCBITaxon calls it Rickettsia akari**
  • HP:0200119 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Hepatitis"; HP calls it Acute hepatitis
  • CL:0000115 (2 mentions) - the report calls it "Cell level: vascular endothelial cells"; CL calls it endothelial cell**
  • GO:0044409 (1 mention) - the report calls it "entry into host"; GO calls it symbiont entry into host, and lists "entry into host" among its other names
  • UBERON:0002097 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Primary organ/tissue: skin"; UBERON calls it skin of body**, and lists "entire skin" among its other names
  • NCIT:C312 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Doxycycline"; NCIT calls it Bleomycin Sulfate, and lists "BleMomycine" among its other names

Terms named inconsistently

The report gives these identifiers more than one name of its own:

  • NCBITaxon:786 - called "Rickettsia akari", "Infectious agent:* Rickettsia akari"
  • NCBITaxon:10090 - called "Mus musculus", "Reservoir host:* house mouse Mus musculus"