Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients
Rickettsia felis is an emerging zoonosis, causing flea-borne spotted fever (FBSF). Serological diagnosis is typically confounded by cross-reactivity with typhus group rickettsiae and prior to the development of specific serological methods, cases of FBSF in Australia were misdiagnosed. Patient sera...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2016-12-01
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| Series: | One Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771416300088 |
| _version_ | 1830484425436037120 |
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| author | Yen Thon Teoh Sze Fui Hii Stephen Graves Robert Rees John Stenos Rebecca J. Traub |
| author_facet | Yen Thon Teoh Sze Fui Hii Stephen Graves Robert Rees John Stenos Rebecca J. Traub |
| author_sort | Yen Thon Teoh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rickettsia felis is an emerging zoonosis, causing flea-borne spotted fever (FBSF). Serological diagnosis is typically confounded by cross-reactivity with typhus group rickettsiae and prior to the development of specific serological methods, cases of FBSF in Australia were misdiagnosed.
Patient sera tested between August 2010 and December 2013 and known to be seropositive to R. typhi by immunofluorescence antibody testing (IFAT) were subsequently retested against R. felis using an R. felis-specific IFAT. Sera of 49 patients were of a sufficient quality to be included in re-analysis. A classification of FBSF and murine typhus (MT) was attributed to fourteen and seven patients respectively, based on a minimum four-fold higher antibody titre to R. felis than to R. typhi and vice versa. Twenty-eight patients were classified as indeterminate for either R. felis or R. typhi (antibody titres within two-fold of one another).
Historically, it is likely that Australian patients clinically ill with FBSF were misdiagnosed. It is important that medical practitioners consider FBSF as part of their differential diagnoses, and obtain relevant history with regard to patient's exposure to domestic pets and their fleas. Australian microbiology diagnostic laboratories should include serological testing for R. felis as part of the diagnostic panel for febrile diseases. Veterinarians are encouraged to increase their awareness of this emerging zoonosis and advocate flea control in pets. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T18:08:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c72de7e7a1da4d41b37e9efeb3125939 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-7714 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T18:08:03Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | One Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c72de7e7a1da4d41b37e9efeb31259392022-12-21T18:54:52ZengElsevierOne Health2352-77142016-12-012C959810.1016/j.onehlt.2016.06.001Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patientsYen Thon Teoh0Sze Fui Hii1Stephen Graves2Robert Rees3John Stenos4Rebecca J. Traub5Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, AustraliaFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, AustraliaThe Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaBayer Animal Health, Tingalpa, QLD 4173, AustraliaThe Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, University Hospital, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, AustraliaRickettsia felis is an emerging zoonosis, causing flea-borne spotted fever (FBSF). Serological diagnosis is typically confounded by cross-reactivity with typhus group rickettsiae and prior to the development of specific serological methods, cases of FBSF in Australia were misdiagnosed. Patient sera tested between August 2010 and December 2013 and known to be seropositive to R. typhi by immunofluorescence antibody testing (IFAT) were subsequently retested against R. felis using an R. felis-specific IFAT. Sera of 49 patients were of a sufficient quality to be included in re-analysis. A classification of FBSF and murine typhus (MT) was attributed to fourteen and seven patients respectively, based on a minimum four-fold higher antibody titre to R. felis than to R. typhi and vice versa. Twenty-eight patients were classified as indeterminate for either R. felis or R. typhi (antibody titres within two-fold of one another). Historically, it is likely that Australian patients clinically ill with FBSF were misdiagnosed. It is important that medical practitioners consider FBSF as part of their differential diagnoses, and obtain relevant history with regard to patient's exposure to domestic pets and their fleas. Australian microbiology diagnostic laboratories should include serological testing for R. felis as part of the diagnostic panel for febrile diseases. Veterinarians are encouraged to increase their awareness of this emerging zoonosis and advocate flea control in pets.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771416300088Rickettsia felisRickettsia typhiFlea-borne spotted feverMurine typhusAustraliaZoonosis |
| spellingShingle | Yen Thon Teoh Sze Fui Hii Stephen Graves Robert Rees John Stenos Rebecca J. Traub Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients One Health Rickettsia felis Rickettsia typhi Flea-borne spotted fever Murine typhus Australia Zoonosis |
| title | Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients |
| title_full | Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients |
| title_fullStr | Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients |
| title_short | Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients |
| title_sort | evidence of exposure to rickettsia felis in australian patients |
| topic | Rickettsia felis Rickettsia typhi Flea-borne spotted fever Murine typhus Australia Zoonosis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771416300088 |
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