title: Not only 'Flinders Island' spotted fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate that Flinders Island spotted fever (FISF), a spotted fever group rickettsial infection caused by Rickettsia honei, is found not only on Flinders Island (Bass Strait), Tasmania, but elsewhere in south-east Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases of FISF were identified by rickettsial serology, culture and the detection of rickettsial DNA via PCR. Isolates and PCR products were sequenced to identify the aetiological agent as R. honei.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three new cases of FISF were detected outside of Flinders Island. One on Schouten Island, south of the Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania, and two in south-eastern South Australia (McLaren Vale and Goolwa).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These cases show that FISF extends beyond Flinders Island and most likely has the same distribution across south-east Australia as its vector, the reptile tick Aponomma hydrosauri. FISF should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients from south-eastern Australia presenting with fever, headache and rash following a tick bite.
authors.affiliation: The Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, The Geelong Hospital, Victoria, Australia. nathanu@barwonhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Nathan B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Unsworth
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stenos
authors.forename: Alistair R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001483:Base Sequence; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology