Howard Taylor Ricketts
Encyclopedia
Howard Taylor Ricketts (February 9, 1871 – May 3, 1910) was an American
pathologist
after whom the Rickettsiaceae
family and the Rickettsiales
are named.
He was born in Findlay, Ohio
. In the early part of his career, Ricketts undertook research at Northwestern University
on blastomycosis
. He later worked in the Bitterroot Valley
of Montana and at the University of Chicago
on Rocky Mountain spotted fever
. This early pathology, entomology and epidemiology research in Hamilton, Montana lead to the eventual formation of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory there.
While in Montana, Ricketts and his assistant discovered that the agent that carried the bacillus
for the latter was a tick, the Rocky Mountain wood tick (the American dog tick is also a carrier). Ricketts was devoted to his research and, on several occasions, injected himself with a pathogen to measure its effects. The pathogen causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Rickettsia rickettsii
was named after him. After this eponymous genus, the larger family and order were given their names.
In 1909, Ricketts became interested in a strand of typhus
known as tabardillo, due to a major outbreak in Mexico City
, and the apparent similarity of the disease to spotted fever. Days after isolating the organism that he believed caused typhus, he himself died of the disease.
Ricketts was survived by his wife, Myra Tubbs Ricketts, and children. His family established an annual student research prize, the Howard Taylor Ricketts Prize, at the University of Chicago
in 1912.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pathologist
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
after whom the Rickettsiaceae
Rickettsiaceae
The Rickettsiaceae are a family of bacteria, including most notably the genus Rickettsia.Most human pathogens are in genus Rickettsia. They spend part of their life cycle in the bodies of arthropods such as ticks or lice, and are then transmitted to humans or other mammals by the bite of the...
family and the Rickettsiales
Rickettsiales
The Rickettsiales, also called rickettsias, are an order of small proteobacteria. Most of those described survive only as endosymbionts of other cells. Some are notable pathogens, including Rickettsia, which causes a variety of diseases in humans...
are named.
He was born in Findlay, Ohio
Findlay, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,967 people, 15,905 households, and 10,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,266.3 people per square mile . There were 17,152 housing units at an average density of 997.6 per square mile...
. In the early part of his career, Ricketts undertook research at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
on blastomycosis
Blastomycosis
Blastomycosis is a fungal infection caused by the organism Blastomyces dermatitidis...
. He later worked in the Bitterroot Valley
Bitterroot Valley
The Bitterroot Valley is located in southwestern Montana in the northwestern United States. It extends over 100 miles from remote Horse Creek Pass north to a point near the city of Missoula...
of Montana and at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
on Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most lethal and most frequently reported rickettsial illness in the United States. It has been diagnosed throughout the Americas. Some synonyms for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in other countries include “tick typhus,” “Tobia fever” , “São Paulo fever” or “febre...
. This early pathology, entomology and epidemiology research in Hamilton, Montana lead to the eventual formation of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory there.
While in Montana, Ricketts and his assistant discovered that the agent that carried the bacillus
Bacillus
Bacillus is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria and a member of the division Firmicutes. Bacillus species can be obligate aerobes or facultative anaerobes, and test positive for the enzyme catalase. Ubiquitous in nature, Bacillus includes both free-living and pathogenic species...
for the latter was a tick, the Rocky Mountain wood tick (the American dog tick is also a carrier). Ricketts was devoted to his research and, on several occasions, injected himself with a pathogen to measure its effects. The pathogen causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Rickettsia rickettsii
Rickettsia rickettsii
Rickettsia rickettsii is a unicellular, gram-negative coccobacillus that is native to the New World. It belongs to the spotted fever group of Rickettsia and is most commonly known as the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever . By nature, R...
was named after him. After this eponymous genus, the larger family and order were given their names.
In 1909, Ricketts became interested in a strand of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
known as tabardillo, due to a major outbreak in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, and the apparent similarity of the disease to spotted fever. Days after isolating the organism that he believed caused typhus, he himself died of the disease.
Ricketts was survived by his wife, Myra Tubbs Ricketts, and children. His family established an annual student research prize, the Howard Taylor Ricketts Prize, at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1912.