| Abstract: | Although trench tever is now known to be
almost worldwide in distribution, it usually
exists unrecognized in louse-infested cornm.uni-
ties in peace time, and the disease may flare up
in epiclemic form in wartime. Inasmuch as phy-
sicians are generally unfamiliar with trench
fever, the literature on the history, geographic
distribution, symptomatology, pathology, etio-
logy, immunity, diagnosis, epidemiology, pre-
vention and treatment of the diseas.e iS briefly
reviewed. Certain obscure phases of trench fe-
ver are noted and lines for further studies of
the disease suggested. The question is enterta.in-
ed whether R rocha-lima, a rickettsia of hitherto
undefined status., may represent a variant of
R prowazeki acquired by lice feeding on typhus
oonvalescent,s living under nat.urall conditions
and an intermedia.te stage in the transformation
of R prowazeki in the direction of R quintana. |
