title: Prevalence study of antibody to ratborne pathogens and other agents among patients using a free clinic in downtown Los Angeles.
abstract: Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are hosts for various microbes. Homeless people who have contact with rats may be at risk of infection by them. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services initiated a seroepidemiologic study among patients who used a free clinic in downtown Los Angeles; 200 serum specimens obtained for other routine assays were tested for antibodies to ratborne pathogens and other agents. The seroprevalence of antibody to hepatitis E virus in this population was 13.6%; to Bartonella elizabethae, 12.5%; to B. quintana, 9.5%; to B. henselae, 3.5%; to Seoul virus, 0.5%; and to Rickettsia typhi, 0.0%. This study found that patients and locally trapped rats had antibodies to some of the same agents.
authors.affiliation: Acute Communicable Disease Control Unit, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, California 90012, USA. hsmith@dhs.co.la.ca.us
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Roshan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reporter
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rood
authors.forename: Andrea J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Linscott
authors.forename: Laurene M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mascola
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hogrefe
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purcell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001473:Bartonella / Q000276:immunology*; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000276:immunology; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000276:immunology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D012286:Rickettsia typhi / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014437:Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies