A usually mild febrile disease with a rash resembling that of chickenpox, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia akari, which is transmitted from rodents to humans by the house mouse mite, Liponyssoides sanguineus.
Origin
1940s. From rickettsial + pox.
Definition of rickettsialpox in US English:
rickettsialpox
nounrɪˈkɛtsɪəlpɒks
Medicine
A usually mild febrile disease with a rash resembling that of chickenpox, caused by the bacterium Rickettsia akari, which is transmitted from rodents to humans by the house mouse mite, Liponyssoides sanguineus.