Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Argentina.
We describe the first molecular confirmation of Rickettsia rickettsii, the cause of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), from a tick vector, Amblyomma cajennense, and from a cluster of fatal spotted fever cases in Argentina. Questing A. cajennense ticks were collected at or near sites of presumed or confirmed cases of spotted fever rickettsiosis in Jujuy Province and evaluated by polymerase chain reaction assays for spotted fever group rickettsiae. DNA of R. rickettsii was amplified from a pool of A. cajennense ticks and from tissues of one of four patients who died during 2003-2004 after illnesses characterized by high fever, severe headache, myalgias, and petechial rash. The diagnosis of spotted fever rickettsiosis was confirmed in the other patients by indirect immunofluorescence antibody and immunohistochemical staining techniques. These findings show the existence of RMSF in Argentina and emphasize the need for clinicians throughout the Americas to consider RMSF in patients with febrile rash illnesses.
Paddock
Christopher D
CD
Infectious Disease Pathology Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. CPaddock@cdc.gov
Fernandez
Susana
S
Echenique
Gustavo A
GA
Sumner
John W
JW
Reeves
Will K
WK
Zaki
Sherif R
SR
Remondegui
Carlos E
CE
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005784:Gene Amplification; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012284:Rickettsia rickettsii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D013987:Ticks / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G