NCIt definition : A species of aerobic, Gram negative, rod and cocci shaped bacteria assigned to the
phylum Proteobacteria. This species is obligately intracellular, motile, does not
form plaques in Vero cell cultures and is transmitted to humans by a tick, Haemaphysalis
hystricis. R. japonica is a pathogen that causes Japanese spotted fever.;
Alternative definition : CDISC: Any bacterial organism that can be assigned to the species Rickettsia japonica.;