Epidemic Typhus Epidemic typhus, also known as louse-borne typhus is an uncommon disease that is caused by bacteria called Rickettsia prowazekii. Epidemic typhus can be easily spread to people through contact with infected body lice. However epidemic typhus was responsible for millions of deaths in previous centuries, it is now considered a rare disease. Still, cases continue to occur specially in areas where extreme overcrowding is common and body lice can easily travel from one person to another. In some people very less known cases of epidemic typhus which is called as sylvatic typhus can occur. ref : ananthanaryana 9th ed