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Journal of Vector Borne Diseases 2021Rodents are important reservoir hosts for several zoonotic pathogens such as Rickettsia, Leptospira and Bartonella. Studies on the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in...
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES
Rodents are important reservoir hosts for several zoonotic pathogens such as Rickettsia, Leptospira and Bartonella. Studies on the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in Vietnam are data deficient, and there is a scarcity of data on multiple co-infections of zoonotic pathogens to date. This study examined the prevalence of Rickettsia spp., Leptospira spp., and Bartonella spp. and the co-infection of these pathogens in rodents captured in three provinces of northern Vietnam - Ha Giang, Lao Cai and Cao Bang.
METHODS
In total, 133 rodents of 25 species were screened for pathogen prevalence by real-time PCR.
RESULTS
Very high infection rates were found for each pathogen, with 42 of 133 rodents (31.6%) positive for Bartonella and 33 of 133 (24.8%) positive for Rickettsia (5.3% were positive for Rickettsia typhi, and 19.5% were infected with Rickettsia spotted fever group). Additionally, 24 rodents (18%) were positive for Leptospira. Double infection among these three pathogens was found in 26 of 133 rodents (18.8%), with the highest dual infection rates for Rickettsia and Bartonella co-infection (40%) and Leptospira and Bartonella co-infection (up to 40%), followed by Rickettsia and Leptospira co-infection (20% of animals investigated). One case of triple infection was documented for a house rat (Rattus cf. rattus species group) trapped in Ha Giang province.
INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION
Our survey indicates that rodents in northern Vietnam may host multiple zoonotic pathogens simultaneously; thus, rodents contribute significantly to the increased risk of transmission of multiple zoonotic infections from animals to humans.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Rats; Rickettsia; Rodentia; Vietnam
PubMed: 34818863
DOI: 10.4103/0972-9062.321750 -
Biomedica : Revista Del Instituto... Oct 2021Introduction: Rickettsioses are zoonotic diseases transmitted by arthropods acting as vectors and reservoirs. Disease symptoms are nonspecific and, therefore, their...
Introduction: Rickettsioses are zoonotic diseases transmitted by arthropods acting as vectors and reservoirs. Disease symptoms are nonspecific and, therefore, their clinical diagnosis is difficult. Indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) is the gold standard assay for diagnosis. The interest for conducting studies on these pathologies has resurfaced in Colombia since 2001; besides, previous studies have evidenced cases of rickettsiosis in the north of the department of Caldas. Objective: To establish the frequency of antibodies and seroconversion against Rickettsia spp. In patients consulting health institutions in Caldas, Colombia, from 2016 to 2019. Materials and methods: We conducted a quantitative, observational, and descriptive study on a non-probabilistic sample of 175 patients with symptoms compatible with rickettsiosis who consulted in different municipalities of Caldas, Colombia; IFA was performed to detect antibodies in the acute and convalescent phases against Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia typhi, and Rickettsia felis. Results: The average age of the patients was 31 years. The municipalities with the highest proportion of seropositive cases were Belalcázar, Chinchiná, Filadelfia, La Dorada, La Merced, and Manizales; 66% of patients owned pets and 12% reported arthropod bites. The most frequent signs and symptoms were headache (69.7%), arthromyalgia (60%), and fever (58.2%). IgG seroprevalence was 60% for R. rickettsii, 47.9% for R. typhi, and, and 24% for R. felis. Eight patients presented seroconversion. Conclusion: We found evidence of the circulation of Rickettsia species from the spotted fever group and the typhus group associated with human cases in Caldas.
Topics: Adult; Antibodies, Bacterial; Colombia; Humans; Rickettsia; Rickettsia Infections; Seroconversion; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 34669282
DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.5712 -
Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology : the... Sep 2023
Topics: Humans; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne; Retinal Diseases; Macula Lutea; White Dot Syndromes
PubMed: 34629398
DOI: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000001360 -
Cureus Jul 2021Murine typhus is a vector-borne disease transmitted to humans via fleas and typically causes an infection hallmarked by nonspecific, mild symptoms of fever, rash, and...
Murine typhus is a vector-borne disease transmitted to humans via fleas and typically causes an infection hallmarked by nonspecific, mild symptoms of fever, rash, and headache. More severe diseases, while rare, can occur. We present a complicated case of murine typhus resulting in liver and renal failure. Our patient was a healthy 64-year-old Hispanic gentleman who presented to his local emergency department (ED) in Southwest Texas for fevers, chills, and myalgia progressing to dyspnea, fatigue, and jaundice. He was transferred to a Central Texas transplant hospital given concern for impending liver failure as well as acute kidney injury later requiring hemodialysis. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were narrowed to empiric doxycycline with eventual improvement in his lab values and symptoms. The return of antibody lab values later revealed murine typhus to be the cause of his disease.
PubMed: 34462691
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16661 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Aug 2021Scrub typhus (ST) and murine typhus (MT) are common but poorly understood causes of fever in Laos. We examined the spatial and temporal distribution of ST and MT, with...
BACKGROUND
Scrub typhus (ST) and murine typhus (MT) are common but poorly understood causes of fever in Laos. We examined the spatial and temporal distribution of ST and MT, with the intent of informing interventions to prevent and control both diseases.
METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPLE FINDINGS
This study included samples submitted from 2003 to 2017 to Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, for ST and MT investigation. Serum samples were tested using IgM rapid diagnostic tests. Patient demographic data along with meteorological and environmental data from Laos were analysed. Approximately 17% of patients were positive for either ST (1,337/8,150 patients tested) or MT (1,283/7,552 patients tested). While both diseases occurred in inhabitants from Vientiane Capital, from the univariable analysis MT was positively and ST negatively associated with residence in Vientiane Capital. ST was highly seasonal, with cases two times more likely to occur during the wet season months of July-September compared to the dry season whilst MT peaked in the dry season. Multivariable regression analysis linked ST incidence to fluctuations in relative humidity whereas MT was linked to variation in temperature. Patients with ST infection were more likely to come from villages with higher levels of surface flooding and vegetation in the 16 days leading up to diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that as cities expand, high risk areas for MT will also expand. With global heating and risks of attendant higher precipitation, these data suggest that the incidence and spatial distribution of both MT and ST will increase.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Child; Child, Preschool; Cities; Climate; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Laos; Male; Mice; Middle Aged; Orientia tsutsugamushi; Rickettsia typhi; Scrub Typhus; Seasons; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne; Young Adult
PubMed: 34432800
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009685 -
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal Dec 2021We assessed serology results of clinically suspected rickettsiosis episodes in the hospital setting. Overall, 322 of 963 (33%) cases were serology positive. Among those,...
We assessed serology results of clinically suspected rickettsiosis episodes in the hospital setting. Overall, 322 of 963 (33%) cases were serology positive. Among those, rash rates were low (30%), murine typhus (MT) predominated over spotted fever and IgM positivity rate was higher in MT. These findings suggest that during acute rickettsiosis, serology may reliably identify MT infection but may underdiagnose spotted fever.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Infant; Israel; Male; Mice; Retrospective Studies; Rickettsia Infections; Rickettsia typhi; Serologic Tests; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne
PubMed: 34420007
DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003303 -
SERS-based serodiagnosis of acute febrile diseases using plasmonic nanopopcorn microarray platforms.Biosensors & Bioelectronics Nov 2021We report a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based immunoassay platform for the rapid diagnosis of scrub typhus and murine typhus, which are the most common...
We report a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based immunoassay platform for the rapid diagnosis of scrub typhus and murine typhus, which are the most common acute febrile diseases in South Korea. A microarray device, composed of multiple gold nanopopcorn substrates capable of detecting ultra-sensitive biomarkers, was used as a multiplex SERS-based assay platform. Sequentially diluted titers of Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia typhi specific human IgG/IgM antibodies, which are biomarkers of two typhus diseases, were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, and the peak intensity was plotted against the different titer concentration range (0-2048 and 0-1024 for O. tsutsugamushi IgG/IgM and 0-8192 and 0-256 for R. typhi IgG/IgM) to generate calibration curves. The sensitivities and limits of detection (LODs) determined for four different IgG/IgM antibodies were significantly lower than those for the ELISA method. The LODs of titer concentrations for O. tsutsugamushi IgG/IgM and R. typhi IgG/IgM are determined to be 20.4, 7.03, 16.8 and 12.5, respectively. The LOD values were all lower than the cut-off values (256, 16, 128, and 64) used for clinical diagnosis, which means that this assay platform can diagnose two typhus diseases with high sensitivity. When the microarray sensors are combined with portable Raman spectrophotometers, which are commercially available worldwide, it is also possible to directly diagnose a patient in the field without sending their blood sample to a hospital.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Biosensing Techniques; Humans; Immunoglobulin M; Mice; Orientia tsutsugamushi; Scrub Typhus; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serologic Tests
PubMed: 34325318
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2021.113525 -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases Jul 2021We present 10 patients with infection in whom next-generation sequencing of microbial cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (mcfDNA) was used as a diagnostic tool. mcfDNA...
We present 10 patients with infection in whom next-generation sequencing of microbial cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (mcfDNA) was used as a diagnostic tool. mcfDNA was detected in all cases and was more rapid and specific than rickettsial serology. mcfDNA impacted antibiotic management in 50% of patients.
PubMed: 34250186
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab147 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2021Asymptomatic cats often harbor pathogens, some of which have not been largely investigated in feline populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of...
Asymptomatic cats often harbor pathogens, some of which have not been largely investigated in feline populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of antibodies against , , , , and in cats from Tuscany. Ninety-five blood serum samples, previously collected, were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Fifty-six (58.94%) cats had antibodies to at least one investigated pathogen: 28 (29.47%) cats were positive for , 17 (17.89%) for , 14 (14.73%) for , 14 (14.73%) for , 2 (2.1%) for . No cats were positive for . Positive reactions to two or more pathogens were detected in 18 (18.94%) cats. The occurrence of antibodies against these microorganisms suggests that cats, even though asymptomatic, may be infected by pathogens, often zoonotic, and thus may be a source of infections for other animals and humans.
PubMed: 34205734
DOI: 10.3390/ani11061842 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for spp. among...
Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for spp. among Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) using serology, PCR and a questionnaire. Antibody titres against Spotted Fever Group (SFG), Typhus Group (TG) and Scrub Typhus Group (STG) antigens were determined using an immunofluorescence assay. PCR targeting the gene was performed on DNA extracts from whole blood and serum. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity. Of the 27 (22.1%; 27/122) seropositive participants all were seropositive for SFG, with 5/27 (4.1%) also positive for TG. Of the 27 positive sera, 14.8% (4/27) were further classified as exposure to , 3.7% (1/27) to , 3.7% (1/27) to and 77.8% (21/27) were classified as 'indeterminate'-most of which (85.7%; 18/21) were indeterminate / exposures. Rickettsia DNA was not detected in whole blood or serum. Rehabilitators were more likely to be seropositive if more than one household member rehabilitated wildlife, were older than 50 years or had occupational animal contact. These findings suggest that AWRs are at increased risk of contracting -related illnesses, however the source of the increased seropositivity remains unclear.
PubMed: 34204809
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060745