title: Causes of fever in adults on the Thai-Myanmar border.
abstract: A hospital-based study was conducted along the Thai-Myanmar border to provide greater knowledge of the causes of febrile illness and to determine what zoonotic and vector-borne emerging infectious diseases might be present. A total of 613 adults were enrolled from June 1999 to March 2002. Cases were classified based on clinical findings and laboratory results. An etiologic diagnosis was made for 48% of subjects. Malaria was the most common diagnosis, accounting for 25% of subjects, with two-thirds Plasmodium falciparum. Serologic evidence for leptospirosis was found in 17% of subjects. Other etiologic diagnoses included rickettsial infections, dengue fever, and typhoid. The most frequent clinical diagnoses were nonspecific febrile illness, respiratory infections, and gastroenteritis. Clinical associations were generally not predictive of etiologic diagnosis. Apparent dual diagnoses were common, particularly for malaria and leptospirosis. Findings have been used to modify treatment of unspecified febrile illness in the area.
authors.affiliation: Armed Forces Research Institute for Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Ruth D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McDaniel
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Ananda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nisalak
authors.forename: Clinton K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Nichapat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uthaimongkol
authors.forename: Nillawan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buathong
authors.forename: Sabaithip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sriwichai
authors.forename: Rungnapha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Phasuk
authors.forename: Kritsanai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yingyuen
authors.forename: Chaiyawat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathavarat
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology