A new focus of Rickettsia honei spotted fever in South Australia.
We recently diagnosed rickettsial spotted fever in four patients from the south-eastern coastal region of South Australia near Adelaide, an area not known to be endemic for this infection. All infections were acquired within the geographic range of Aponomma hydrosauri, the tick vector of Rickettsia honei. Infection by R. honei was confirmed in two patients. This extension of the known geographic range of R. honei infection may be explained, in part, by alterations in host-parasite ecology.
Dyer
John R
JR
Department of Infectious Diseases, Fremantle Hospital, PO Box 480, Fremantle, 6959 WA, Australia. John.Dyer@health.wa.gov.au
Einsiedel
Lloyd
L
Ferguson
Patricia E
PE
Lee
Andie S
AS
Unsworth
Nathan B
NB
Graves
Stephen R
SR
Gordon
David L
DL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001096:Arachnid Vectors; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013021:South Australia; D013987:Ticks
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline