Noun: rickettsia (rickettsiae,rickettsias) ri'ket-see-u
- Small bacteria that live in parasitic arthropods and can infect humans
"Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by a Rickettsia species"
Derived forms: rickettsiae, rickettsias
Type of: eubacteria, eubacterium, true bacteria
Part of: family Rickettsiaceae, Rickettsiaceae
Encyclopedia: Rickettsia