title: Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis, Argentina.
abstract: Rickettsia parkeri, a recently identified cause of spotted fever rickettsiosis in the United States, has been found in Amblyomma triste ticks in several countries of South America, including Argentina, where it is believed to cause disease in humans. We describe the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of 2 patients in Argentina with confirmed R. parkeri infection and 7 additional patients with suspected R. parkeri rickettsiosis identified at 1 hospital during 2004-2009. The frequency and character of clinical signs and symptoms among these 9 patients closely resembled those described for patients in the United States (presence of an inoculation eschar, maculopapular rash often associated with pustules or vesicles, infrequent gastrointestinal manifestations, and relatively benign clinical course). Many R. parkeri infections in South America are likely to be misdiagnosed as other infectious diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, dengue, or leptospirosis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital F.J. Muniz, Buenos Aires, Argentina. yromer@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yamila
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Romer
authors.forename: Alfredo C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Seijo
authors.forename: Favio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crudo
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varela-Stokes
authors.forename: R Ryan
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Lash
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Paddock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001733:Bites and Stings; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005076:Exanthema; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission; D012373:Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / Q000175:diagnosis; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004318:Doxycycline