Serological evidence of Rickettsia parkeri as the etiological agent of rickettsiosis in Uruguay.
We report three new rickettsiosis human cases in Uruguay. The three clinical cases presented clinical manifestations similar to previous reported cases of Rickettsia parkeri in the United States; that is mild fever (< 40 degrees C), malaise, headache, rash, inoculation eschar at the tick bite site, regional lymphadenopathy, and no lethality. Serological antibody-absorption tests with purified antigens of R. parkeri and Rickettsia rickettsii, associated with immunofluorescence assay indicated that the patients in two cases were infected by R. parkeri. Epidemiological and clinical evidences, coupled with our serological analysis, suggest that R. parkeri is the etiological agent of human cases of spotted fever in Uruguay, a disease that has been recognized in that country as cutaneous-ganglionar rickettsiosis.
Conti-Díaz
Ismael A
IA
Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, National University, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Moraes-Filho
Jonas
J
Pacheco
Richard C
RC
Labruna
Marcelo B
MB
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014583:Uruguay
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial