Outbreak of louse-borne relapsing fever in Jimma, south western Ethiopia.
Some epidemiological aspects of louse-borne relapsing fever during the epidemic of 1991 in Ethiopia are described. There was male preponderance and the age ranged from two months to 58 years (mean, sd = 18.05,11.19). There was no sex differential in children. Students, soldiers and jobless contributed the majority. There were two peaks (August and March) in the seasonal pattern. About two-thirds was infested with lice and significant associations were found among adults, soldiers, ethnicity, illiterate persons and family size above seven. The household attack rate was 15.1%, the attack being higher among children. Promotion of preventive measures are recommended.
Mekasha
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Jimma Institute of Health Sciences, Ethiopia.
Meharie
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008003:Phthiraptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012061:Relapsing Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014504:Urban Health