Severe Case of Rickettsiosis Identified by Metagenomic Sequencing, China

Zhongqiu Teng; Yan Shi; Yao Peng; Huayi Zhang; Xia Luo; Xinchang Lun; Lianxu Xia; Yuanhai You; Zhenpeng Li; Wen Zhang; Ying Zhang; Shicun Dong; Wentao Guo; Biao Kan; Bo Pang; Jianguo Xu; Aiping Qin

doi:10.3201/eid2705.203265

Severe Case of Rickettsiosis Identified by Metagenomic Sequencing, China

Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 May;27(5):1530-1532. doi: 10.3201/eid2705.203265.

Authors

Zhongqiu Teng, Yan Shi, Yao Peng, Huayi Zhang, Xia Luo, Xinchang Lun, Lianxu Xia, Yuanhai You, Zhenpeng Li, Wen Zhang, Ying Zhang, Shicun Dong, Wentao Guo, Biao Kan, Bo Pang, Jianguo Xu, Aiping Qin

Abstract

A case of Rickettsia sibirica subspecies sibirica BJ-90 infection in China was identified by metagenomic analysis of an eschar biopsy specimen and confirmed by nested PCR. Seroprevalence of spotted fever group Rickettsia was ≈17.4% among the local population. This report highlights the threat of rickettsioses to public health in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Keywords: China; Qinghai–Tibet Plateau; Rickettsia sibirica subsp. sibirica BJ-90; Rickettsiosis; bacteria; metagenomic sequencing; tickborne diseases; vector-borne infections.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China
Humans
Rickettsia Infections*
Rickettsia*
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Tibet

Supplementary concepts

Rickettsia sibirica