Rickettsial Infections and Fever, Vientiane, Laos

Rickettsial Infections and Fever, Vientiane, Laos

Rickettsial diseases have not been described previously from Laos, but in a prospective study, acute rickettsial infection was identified as the cause of fever in 115 (27%) of 427 adults with negative blood cultures admitted to Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane, Laos. The organisms identified by serolog...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simaly Phongmany, Jean-Marc Rolain, Rattanaphone Phetsouvanh, Stuart D. Blacksell, Vimone Soukkhaseum, Bouachanh Rasachack, Khamphong Phiasakha, Surn Soukkhaseum, Khamthavi Frichithavong, Vang Chu, Valy Keolouangkhot, Bertrand Martinez-Aussel, Ko Chang, Chirapha Darasavath, Oudayvone Rattanavong, Siho Sisouphone, Mayfong Mayxay, Sisouphane Vidamaly, Philippe Parola, Chanpheng Thammavong, Mayboun Heuangvongsy, Bounkong Syhavong, Didier Raoult, Nicholas J. White, Paul N. Newton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2006-02-01
Series:Emerging Infectious Diseases
Subjects:
Laos
typhus
fever
Orientia tsutsugamushi
Rickettsia typhi
Rickettsia helvetica
Online Access:https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/2/05-0900_article
Description
Summary:Rickettsial diseases have not been described previously from Laos, but in a prospective study, acute rickettsial infection was identified as the cause of fever in 115 (27%) of 427 adults with negative blood cultures admitted to Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane, Laos. The organisms identified by serologic analysis were Orientia tsutsugamushi (14.8%), Rickettsia typhi (9.6%), and spotted fever group rickettsia (2.6% [8 R. helvetica, 1 R. felis, 1 R. conorii subsp. indica, and 1 Rickettsia "AT1"]). Patients with murine typhus had a lower frequency of peripheral lymphadenopathy than those with scrub typhus (3% vs. 46%, p<0.001). Rickettsioses are an underrecognized cause of undifferentiated febrile illnesses among adults in Laos. This finding has implications for the local empiric treatment of fever.
ISSN:1080-6040
1080-6059

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