title: Distribution of rickettsioses in Oceania: past patterns and implications for the future.
abstract: Rickettsioses present a threat to human health worldwide, but relatively little is known on their epidemiology and ecology in Oceania. These bacteria are the cause of potentially fatal febrile illnesses in humans (categorized into scrub typhus, typhus group and spotted fever group rickettsioses). They are transmitted by arthropod vectors such as ticks, mites, fleas and lice, which are associated with vertebrate host animals including rodents and companion animals. We conducted a search in the scientific and grey literature of Rickettsia spp. and Orientia tsutsugamushi within the Oceania region. Human case reports, human serosurveys and PCR-based testing of vectors and host animals reviewed here highlight the widespread distribution of these pathogens in the region, with the majority of human serological and vector surveys reporting positive results. These findings suggest that rickettsioses may have a significantly higher burden of disease in Oceania than is currently appreciated due to diagnostic challenges. Furthermore, consideration of the ecology and risk factors for rickettsioses reported for Oceania suggests that their importance as a cause of undifferentiated acute febrile illness may grow in the future: environmental and social changes driven by predicted climate change and population growth have the potential to lead to the emergence of rickettsioses as a significant public health problem in Oceania.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute, Level 4 Foundation Building, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane 4029, QLD, Australia; Barbara Hardy Institute, City East Campus, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide 5000, SA, Australia. Electronic address: bonnie.derne@uqconnect.edu.au.
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Derne
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Medicine, City East Campus, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, 5000, SA, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, North Terrace Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5000, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.affiliation: Unit of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institut Louis Malardé, BP 30, Pape'ete 98713, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Musso
authors.affiliation: Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute, Level 4 Foundation Building, Royal Children's Hospital, Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane 4029, QLD, Australia; Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Acton 2601, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001179:Arthropod Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D057231:Climate Change; D006801:Humans; D044349:Oceania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016996:Rickettsieae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013987:Ticks
keywords: Environmental health; Pacific; Rickettsia; Spotted fever; Typhus; Vector-borne diseases