Epidemiology of Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsial Infection in the Amazon Basin of Peru |
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| Authors: | Brett M. Forshey Allison Stewart Amy C. Morrison Hugo G��lvez Claudio Rocha Helvio Astete Dominique Eza Hua-Wei Chen Chien-Chung Chao Joel M. Montgomery David E. Bentzel Wei-Mei Ching Tadeusz J. Kochel |
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| Affiliation: | U.S. Naval Medical Research Center Detachment, Iquitos and Lima, Peru; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of California, Davis, California; Instituto Veterinario de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura, Iquitos, Peru; U.S. Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Abstract: | A seroprevalence study for IgG antibodies against spotted fever group (SFGR) and typhus group (TGR) Rickettsia among humans and domestic pets was conducted in the city of Iquitos, located in the Amazon basin of Peru. Of 1,195 human sera analyzed, 521 (43.6%) and 123 (10.3%) were positive for SFGR and TGR antibodies, respectively. District of residence and participant age were associated with antibody positivity for both groups, whereas rodent sightings in the home were associated with TGR antibody positivity. Of the 71 canines tested, 42 (59.2%) were positive for SFGR antibodies, and two (2.8%) were positive for TGR antibodies; one active SFGR infection was detected by polymerase chain reaction. An uncharacterized SFGR species was detected in 95.9% (71/74) of Ctenocephalides felis pools collected from domestic pets. These data suggest that rickettsial transmission is widespread in Iquitos. Rickettsia species should be further explored as potential causes of acute febrile illnesses in the region. |
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