Title
Epidemiology of spotted fever group and typhus group rickettsial infection in the Amazon basin of Peru
Date Issued
01 April 2010
Access level
open access
Resource Type
research article
Author(s)
Forshey B.M.
Stewart A.
Morrison A.C.
Eza D.
Chen H.W.
Chao C.C.
Montgomery J.M.
Bentzel D.E.
Ching W.M.
Kochel T.J.
Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura
Naval Medical Research Unit South
Naval Medical Research Unit South
Abstract
A seroprevalence study for IgG antibodies against spotted fever group (SFGR) and typhus group (TGR) Rickettsia among humans and domestic pets was conducted in the city of Iquitos, located in the Amazon basin of Peru. Of 1,195 human sera analyzed, 521 (43.6%) and 123 (10.3%) were positive for SFGR and TGR antibodies, respectively. District of residence and participant age were associated with antibody positivity for both groups, whereas rodent sightings in the home were associated with TGR antibody positivity. Of the 71 canines tested, 42 (59.2%) were positive for SFGR antibodies, and two (2.8%) were positive for TGR antibodies; one active SFGR infection was detected by polymerase chain reaction. An uncharacterized SFGR species was detected in 95.9% (71/74) of Ctenocephalides felis pools collected from domestic pets. These data suggest that rickettsial transmission is widespread in Iquitos. Rickettsia species should be further explored as potential causes of acute febrile illnesses in the region. Copyright © 2010 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Start page
683
End page
690
Volume
82
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Medicina tropical
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-77950932365
PubMed ID
Source
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ISSN of the container
00029637
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus