High seroprevalence of antibodies against spotted fever and scrub typhus bacteria in patients with febrile Illness, Kenya

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Apr;21(4):688-91. doi: 10.3201/eid2104.141387.

Abstract

Serum samples from patients in Kenya with febrile illnesses were screened for antibodies against bacteria that cause spotted fever, typhus, and scrub typhus. Seroprevalence was 10% for spotted fever group, <1% for typhus group, and 5% for scrub typhus group. Results should help clinicians expand their list of differential diagnoses for undifferentiated fevers.

Keywords: Kenya; Rickettsia; bacteria; rickettsial infections; scrub typhus; seroprevalence; spotted fever; typhus fever.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Fever / epidemiology
  • Fever / immunology
  • Fever / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Kenya / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Orientia tsutsugamushi / immunology*
  • Population Surveillance
  • Prevalence
  • Rickettsia / immunology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / immunology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / transmission
  • Scrub Typhus / epidemiology*
  • Scrub Typhus / immunology*
  • Scrub Typhus / transmission
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial