Ocular Manifestations of Rickettsiosis: 1. Mediterranean Spotted Fever: laboratory analysis and case reports

Rickettsiae are short, pleomorphic but usually rod-shaped or coccobacillary Gram-negative bacteria that grow strictly in eukaryotic cells (obligate intracellular parasites). They have the ability to multiply in one or more arthropods and to exist in natural reservoirs of one or several warm-blooded animal hosts, including humans. Rickettsiae are divided into 5 groups: 1) Spotted fever group, includingR. rickettsii,R. conorii, andR. akari; 2) Typhus group, includingR. prowazekiiandR. typhi; 3) Scrub typhus (R. tsutsugamushi); 4) Q fever (Coxiella burnetii); 5) Neorickettsiosis.