Flea-borne rickettsioses in the north of Caldas province, Colombia

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2013 May;13(5):289-94. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1173. Epub 2013 Mar 8.

Abstract

Rickettsia typhi and R. felis are the etiological agents of murine typhus and flea-borne spotted fever, respectively. Both are emerging acute febrile zoonotic diseases for which fleas are vectors; they also have similar clinical characteristics and global distribution. In 2005, we identified the circulation of murine typhus in 6 towns within the mountainous coffee-growing area north of Caldas, Colombia. We now report the specific seroprevalence against R. typhi and R. felis, and associated risk factors in 7 towns of this province. The combined seroprevalence against the 2 flea-borne rickettsioses is the highest yet reported in the literature: 71.7% (17.8% for R. felis, 25.2% for R. typhi, and 28.7% for both). We also report a prospective analysis of 26 patients with a febrile illness compatible with rickettsioses, including murine typhus; 9 of these patients had a rickettsiosis. This supports our sero-epidemiological results and highlights the diagnostic complexity of febrile syndromes in this region.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Colombia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Insect Vectors / microbiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology
  • Rickettsia felis / genetics
  • Rickettsia felis / isolation & purification*
  • Rickettsia typhi / genetics
  • Rickettsia typhi / isolation & purification*
  • Risk Factors
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Siphonaptera / microbiology*
  • Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / epidemiology*
  • Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / microbiology
  • Young Adult
  • Zoonoses