title: Brazilian spotted fever: a case series from an endemic area in southeastern Brazil: epidemiological aspects.
abstract: Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is the most important tick-borne disease in Brazil and is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii and transmitted by the Ixodid tick Amblyomma cajennense, its main vector. We present epidemiologic aspects of a case series of patients admitted to the Hospital das Clínicas da UNICAMP from 1985 to 2003 with a confirmed diagnosis of BSF either by a fourfold rise in indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) titers of IgG antibodies reactive with R. rickettsii or isolation of R. rickettsii from blood or skin specimens. Seasonal variation of case occurrence seems to be associated with the life cycle of the tick. The recent reemergence of cases seems to be associated with the growing numbers of the capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) and their expansion into urban areas.
authors.affiliation: Rua da Urca, 354, San Conrado, Sousas, Campinas, SP Brazil. rodrigoang@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Rodrigo N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Angerami
authors.forename: Mariângela R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: Adriana F C
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Feltrin
authors.forename: Gizelda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Elvira M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Raquel S B
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Stucchi
authors.forename: Luiz J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012284:Rickettsia rickettsii / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*