title: [Etiology and epidemiological characterization of non-malarial febrile syndrome in three municipalities of Urabá (Antioquia), Colombia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urabá, a region on the northern coast of Colombia, is endemic to several acute febrile illnesses of infectious origin; however, only patients with malaria may have access to quick and effective diagnosis. For this reason, many non-malarial febrile patients go without a clear etiologic diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish the etiology and clinical signs of acute febrile non-malaria syndromes and explore some of the likely risk factors in patients originating in the municipalities of Necocli, Turbo and Apartado who exhibit these symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained acute and convalescent sera from 220 non-malarial febrile patients from the rural and urban zones of Necocli, Turbo and Apartado during 2007 and 2008. Serologic tests for dengue (IgM by ELISA), leptospirosis (IgM and IgG by IFA), rickettsiosis (IgG by IFI), hanta and arenavirus (IgG by ELISA) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the frequency of infection for dengue, leptospirosis, rickettsiosis and arenavirus, was 37.3%; 14.1%; 2.7% and 0.5%, respectively. There were 12 co-infection cases of leptospirosis-dengue and one of leptospirosis-rickettsiosis-dengue. Male gender and relative humidity were considered risk factors for dengue, and the beginning of clinical signs in February of 2008 was associated with the infection of dengue and leptospirosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms previous records that underline the importance of Rickettsia spp, dengue virus and Leptospira spp as causal agents of febrile syndrome in this region of Colombia.
authors.affiliation: Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arroyave
authors.affiliation: Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Andrés Felipe
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Londoño
authors.affiliation: Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Quintero
authors.affiliation: Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Piedad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agudelo-Flórez
authors.affiliation: Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arboleda
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Inmunovirología, Universidad de Antioquia.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Grupo Centauro, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rodas
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia; D003289:Convalescence; D003715:Dengue / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology*; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M