Endemic Scrub Typhus–like Illness, Chile

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Balcells, M. Elvira ; Rabagliati, Ricardo ; García, Patricia ; Poggi, Helena ; Oddó, David ; Concha, Marcela ; Abarca, Katia ; Jiang, Ju ; Kelly, Daryl J. ; Richards, Allen L. ; Fuerst, Paul A.
• Description:
  We report a case of scrub typhus in a 54-year-old man who was bitten by several terrestrial leeches during a trip to Chiloé Island in southern Chile in 2006. A molecular sample, identified as related to Orientia tsutsugamushi based on the sequence of the16S rRNA gene, was obtained from a biopsy specimen of the eschar on the patient's leg. Serologic analysis showed immunoglobulin G conversion against O. tsutsugamushi whole cell antigen. This case and its associated molecular analyses suggest that an Orientia-like agent is present in the Western Hemisphere that can produce scrub typhus-like illness. The molecular analysis suggests that the infectious agent is closely related, although not identical, to members of the Orientia sp. from Asia.
• Subjects:
  Animals Disease Vectors Endemic Diseases Humans Leeches Leg Ulcer Male Middle Aged Phylogeny Rna, Ribosomal, 16S Scrub Typhus Sequence Analysis, DNA

  More +
• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 17(9):1659-1663.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  EY090703/EY/NEI NIH HHS/United States
• Place as Subject:
  Chile
• Volume:
  17
• Issue:
  9
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:4bd6ba82e268e14baea487656fb5a571b5eb610823fb9821f673f6214dc182c9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/23660/cdc_23660_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 364.45 KB ]