Spotted fever in Brazil: a seroepidemiological study and description of clinical cases in an endemic area in the state of São Paulo.
During 1985-1995, illnesses clinically and epidemiologically compatible with Brazilian spotted fever were identified in 17 patients in the county of Pedreira, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Spotted-fever group rickettsial infection was confirmed by serology and/or immunostaining of tissues in 10 of these patients. Immunostaining confirmed infection in a 37-year-old pregnant patient, although rickettsial antigens were not demonstrable in the tissues of the fetus. A serosurvey was conducted in four localities in the county to determine the prevalence of subclinical or asymptomatic infections with spotted fever group rickettsiae. Five hundred and twenty-five blood samples were tested by an indirect immunofluorescence assay for antibodies reactive with Rickettsia rickettsii. Twenty-two (4.2%) of these samples demonstrated titers > or = 1:64. The results indicate that Brazilian spotted fever is endemic within this region of Brazil.
de Lemos
E R
ER
Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Alvarenga
F B
FB
Cintra
M L
ML
Ramos
M C
MC
Paddock
C D
CD
Ferebee
T L
TL
Zaki
S R
SR
Ferreira
F C
FC
Ravagnani
R C
RC
Machado
R D
RD
Guimarães
M A
MA
Coura
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012284:Rickettsia rickettsii / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial