| ecology of rickettsia in south america. | until the year 2000, only three rickettsia species were known in south america: (i) rickettsia rickettsii, transmitted by the ticks amblyomma cajennense, and amblyomma aureolatum, reported in colombia, argentina, and brazil, where it is the etiological agent of rocky mountain spotted fever; (ii) rickettsia prowazekii, transmitted by body lice and causing epidemic typhus in highland areas, mainly in peru; (iii) rickettsia typhi, transmitted by fleas and causing endemic typhus in many countries. d ... | 2009 | 19538276 |