Louse-borne relapsing fever in a refugee from Mali.
BACKGROUND
Due to the increasing number of refugees from East Africa, louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) has become an emergent disease in Europe. No single case of LBRF has been reported in Europe in refugees from other parts of Africa.


METHODS
We report a case of LBRF in a refugee from Mali, likely acquired in Libya, where several migration routes into Europe meet. The disease must be considered in any febrile refugee regardless the country of origin.
University Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and Brescia Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy. cecigrecchi@gmail.com.
Cecilia
C
Grecchi
University Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and Brescia Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Paola
P
Zanotti
Infectious Diseases and Viral Hepatitis Unit, Department of Internal and Specialistic Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
Agostina
A
Pontarelli
University Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and Brescia Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Erika
E
Chiari
SSVD of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Lina Rachele
LR
Tomasoni
SSVD of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Maurizio
M
Gulletta
SC Microbiology and Virology U, AOU CDSS Molinette Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Anna
A
Barbui
SSVD of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Silvio
S
Caligaris
University Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and Brescia Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Alberto
A
Matteelli
University Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Brescia and Brescia Spedali Civili General Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
Francesco
F
Castelli
D000583:Amikacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001898:Borrelia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008002:Libya; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali; D010374:Pediculus / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D012036:Refugees; D012061:Relapsing Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000583:Amikacin; D004318:Doxycycline
Borrelia recurrentis; Europe; Fever; Libya; Louse-borne recurrentis fever; Mali; Migrants; Pediculus humanus humanus; Refugee