title: Rickettsia slovaca infection: DEBONEL/TIBOLA.
abstract: This study describes the epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of a new tick-borne disease in Spain-Dermacentor-borne necrosis erythema lymphadenopathy (DEBONEL). The clinical presentations include an eschar at the site of the tick bite, surrounded by an erythema and painful regional lymphadenopathy. The disease appears during the colder months and its vector is Dermacentor marginatus (D. marginatus). From January 1990 to December 2004, 54 patients presented at Hospital of La Rioja with these clinical and epidemiological data. The ratio of females to males was 32/22. The average age was 37 years. In all cases tick bites were located on the upper body (90% on the scalp). The median incubation period was 4.7 days. Signs and symptoms were mild in all cases. Only a small number of patients presented mild and nonspecific abnormalities in a complete blood cell count and mild elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rates and C-protein reactive and liver enzyme levels. Serological evidence of acute rickettsiosis was observed in 19 patients (61%). In 29% sera tested by polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were positive. The sequence obtained from a PCR product revealed 98% identity with Rickettsia sp. strains RpA4, DnS14, and DnS28. All ticks removed from patients were PCR-positive. Sequencing showed 8 of them identified as R. slovaca and 2 as Rickettsia sp. strains RpA4, DnS14, and DnS28.
authors.affiliation: Area de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospitales San Millán-San Pedro-de La Rioja, Avda. Viana No 1. 26001-Logroño (La Rioja), Spain. jaoteo@riojasalud.es
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ibarra
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Oteo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Portillo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santibáñez
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Metola
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Eiros
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez-Martínez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003870:Dermacentor; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013987:Ticks