title: Prevalence of antibodies to Rickettsia conorii in human beings and dogs from Catalonia: a 20-year perspective.
abstract: The incidence of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) in Catalonia (Spain) has decreased in the last two decades. The prevalence of antibodies to Rickettsia conorii in human beings and dogs in the region of Vallès Occidental (Catalonia) was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence, and the results compared with those obtained in a similar study from 1987. Nineteen (5·0%) out of 383 human serum samples had antibodies to R. conorii. This seroprevalence was significantly lower (11·5%) (P = 0·003) than that recorded in the 1987 survey. Forty-two out (42·0%) of 100 canine serum samples had antibodies to R. conorii. A high proportion of the studied dogs (91·0%) were receiving anti-tick treatment, mainly with permethrin-imidacloprid spot-on (Advantix, Bayer, Germany). The current canine seroprevalence was not significantly different from that recorded in the 1987 survey (36.9%). In conclusion, this study shows a significant decrease in the prevalence of antibodies to R. conorii in the human population of Catalonia in the last 20 years, which corresponds with a decrease in the number of cases of MSF. We suggest that the widespread use of anti-tick treatment in dogs could limit the introduction of ticks to humans due to a reduction of infestation duration in dogs, thus contributing to the decrease in MSF incidence.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit,Internal Medicine Service,Hospital de Terrassa,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Espejo
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit,Internal Medicine Service,Hospital de Terrassa,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andrés
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory,Catlab,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinari J. Prat Morera,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Service,Hospital de Terrassa,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Service,Hospital de Terrassa,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory,Catlab,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Alegre
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory,Catlab,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lite
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit,Internal Medicine Service,Hospital de Terrassa,Terrassa,Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020114:Rickettsia conorii / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Dogs; Mediterranean spotted fever; Rickettsia conorii; seroprevalence; tick-borne disease