Emerging Infectious Diseases (Feb 2006)

Rickettsial Infections and Fever, Vientiane, Laos

  • Simaly Phongmany,
  • Jean-Marc Rolain,
  • Rattanaphone Phetsouvanh,
  • Stuart D. Blacksell,
  • Vimone Soukkhaseum,
  • Bouachanh Rasachack,
  • Khamphong Phiasakha,
  • Surn Soukkhaseum,
  • Khamthavi Frichithavong,
  • Vang Chu,
  • Valy Keolouangkhot,
  • Bertrand Martinez-Aussel,
  • Ko Chang,
  • Chirapha Darasavath,
  • Oudayvone Rattanavong,
  • Siho Sisouphone,
  • Mayfong Mayxay,
  • Sisouphane Vidamaly,
  • Philippe Parola,
  • Chanpheng Thammavong,
  • Mayboun Heuangvongsy,
  • Bounkong Syhavong,
  • Didier Raoult,
  • Nicholas J. White,
  • Paul N. Newton

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1202.050900
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 2
pp. 256 – 262

Abstract

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Rickettsial diseases have not been described previously from Laos, but in a prospective study, acute rickettsial infection was identified as the cause of fever in 115 (27%) of 427 adults with negative blood cultures admitted to Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane, Laos. The organisms identified by serologic analysis were Orientia tsutsugamushi (14.8%), Rickettsia typhi (9.6%), and spotted fever group rickettsia (2.6% [8 R. helvetica, 1 R. felis, 1 R. conorii subsp. indica, and 1 Rickettsia "AT1"]). Patients with murine typhus had a lower frequency of peripheral lymphadenopathy than those with scrub typhus (3% vs. 46%, p<0.001). Rickettsioses are an underrecognized cause of undifferentiated febrile illnesses among adults in Laos. This finding has implications for the local empiric treatment of fever.

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