typhus

ty·phus

noun \ˈtī-fəs\

Definition of TYPHUS

: any of various bacterial diseases caused by rickettsial bacteria: as a : a severe human febrile disease that is caused by one (Rickettsia prowazekii) transmitted especially by body lice and is marked by high fever, stupor alternating with delirium, intense headache, and a dark red rash—called also louse-borne typhus b : murine typhus c : scrub typhus