Unsuspected rickettsioses among patients with acute febrile illness, Sri Lanka, 2007

Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 May;18(5):825-9. doi: 10.3201/eid1805.111563.

Abstract

We studied rickettsioses in southern Sri Lanka. Of 883 febrile patients with paired serum samples, 156 (17.7%) had acute rickettsioses; rickettsioses were unsuspected at presentation. Additionally, 342 (38.7%) had exposure to spotted fever and/or typhus group rickettsioses and 121 (13.7%) scrub typhus. Increased awareness of rickettsioses and better tests are needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Fever / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Rickettsia / immunology
  • Rickettsia Infections / diagnosis*
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology
  • Sri Lanka / epidemiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin G