You are explaining to your patient about epidemic typhus. He wants to know how he could have got infected with the disease. All the following are TRUE regarding transmission of epidemic typhus, EXCEPT:
Epidemic typhus is caused by R.prowazekii. Although the louse gets infected by feeding on the blood of an infected person during the febrile stage it cannot be transmitted from one person to another by the bite of the louse. The rest of the options given above are believed to be modes of transmission of the disease. Ref: Park, Edition 21, Page 276
It may be transmitted by getting bitten by an infected louse
It may be transmitted by self inoculation of infected louse faeces while scratching
It may be transmitted by inhalation of infected louse faeces
It may be transmitted by self inoculation due to an infected louse being crushed due to scratching