Trench Fever

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Definition

Trench fever is a bacterial infection that causes repeated cycles of high fever.

Description

The term trench fever refers to the crowded conditions in which troops fought in during World War I and World War II. Because the causative bacteria are passed among humans through contact with body lice, over-crowding, and conditions which interfere with good hygiene (including regular washing of clothing) soldiers were predispose to this disease. Currently, homeless people in the United States are sometimes diagnosed with this illness. The bacteria are sometimes passed through the bite of an infected tick. This can cause the illness in people who participate in outdoor activity and encounter ticks in that particular area.

— Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD

An acute infectious disease characterized by chills and fever, caused by the microorganism Rickettsia quintana and transmitted by the louse Pediculus humanus.

[From its occurrence among soldiers in trenches.]

1. in World War I, a highly contagious rickettsial disease transmitted by lice that infested soldiers in the trenches.

2. fever, aches and pains, and homesickness suffered by soldiers.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

An acute infectious disease characterized by chills and fever, caused by the microorganism Rickettsia quintana, and transmitted by the louse Pediculus humanus.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: marked by pain in muscles and joints and transmitted by lice