the only member of its genus, this species is the causative agent of scrub typhus, transmitted by mites; formerly called Rickettsia tsutsugamushi.
Or·i·en·ti·a tsu·tsu·ga·mu·shi
(ōr-ē-en'shē-ă tsū-tsū-gă-mū'shē) A bacterial species that causes tsutsugamushi disease and scrub typhus; transmitted by trombiculid mites; formerly known as Rickettsia tsutsugamushi.