Tickborne rickettsiosis in children of the Irkutsk region over five epidemic seasons

Abstract

The article discusses the clinical and laboratory characteristics of tick-borne rickettsiosis in children in the Irkutsk region on the results of the retrospective study of 65 patients admitted to the Regional Infectious Hospital over the period of five consecutive epidemic seasons. It has been found that among hospitalized children with tick-borne rickettsiosis dominating proportion (64.6 %) is of rural residents (mean age - 5years old). The main clinical symptoms in children borne rickettsiosis were rash (96.9 %) and fever (96.9 %), which in one third of observations associated with lymphadenopathy (38.5%). About one third of patients (30.8 %) had pronounced symptoms of intoxication. It has been noted that the laboratory diagnosis of tick-borne rickettsiosis needs to be improved: DGC reaction should replace ELISA detection of specific immunoglobulin M in the blood in combination with PCR for genetic identification of rickettsiae. The development of emergency preventive treatment of tick-borne rickettsiosis is required, taking into account the sensitivity of rickettsiae to antibiotics. All children with tick-borne rickettsial diseases were provided with timely and effective treatment, with favorable prognosis.

Keywords

• tick-borne rickettsiosis
• children
• irkutsk region