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ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER IN AN ENDEMIC AREA IN MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL
Affilliation
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Medicina Tropical. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Microbiologia. Departamento de Virologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Medicina Tropical. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto de Microbiologia. Departamento de Virologia. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Departamento de Medicina Tropical. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.
Abstract
Only one species of spotted fever-group rickettsiae that is pathogenic for humans has been isolated in Brazil, where few physicians are familiar with this disease. In order to obtain information on tick-borne rickettsiosis, a study was performed in the County of Santa Cruz do Escalvado, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where a fatal clinical case confirmed by specific immunofluorescence had been reported. Serum samples obtained from 679 humans and 96 dogs were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for detectable antibodies to spotted fever-group rickettsiae, the criterion for a positive result being a titer > or = 1:64. Seropositivity was detected in 7.14 of the humans sera examined and 13.68 of the dogs. We discuss the significance of these findings and formulate some questions, emphasizing the need for further investigation.
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