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Rickettsioses and the international traveler

Mogens Jensenius1, Pierre-Edouard Fournier, Didier Raoult

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. mogens.jensenius@ioks.uio.no

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
|November 17, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Rickettsioses, bacterial infections spread by arthropods, are increasingly reported in travel medicine. Early diagnosis and treatment with tetracyclines are crucial for managing these zoonotic diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Travel Medicine
  • Bacteriology

Background:

  • Rickettsioses, zoonotic bacterial infections transmitted by arthropods, were historically considered rare in travel medicine.
  • Over the past two decades, over 450 travel-associated cases have been documented globally.
  • Commonly reported types include murine typhus, Mediterranean spotted fever, African tick bite fever, and scrub typhus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of rickettsioses in the context of travel medicine.
  • To highlight the increasing incidence and key clinical presentations of travel-associated rickettsioses.
  • To discuss diagnostic methods, treatment options, and preventive strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of travel-associated rickettsioses cases.
  • Summary of current diagnostic techniques (culture, PCR, serology).
  • Overview of recommended therapeutic interventions and preventative measures.

Main Results:

  • A significant increase in travel-associated rickettsioses has been observed.
  • Most cases present with febrile illness, headache, myalgia, and rash, but severe outcomes can occur.
  • Serological analysis is the most widely available diagnostic method.

Conclusions:

  • Rickettsioses are an important consideration in febrile illnesses among travelers returning from endemic areas.
  • Prompt empirical treatment with tetracyclines is recommended upon suspicion of rickettsiosis.
  • Minimizing arthropod bites is essential for prevention.

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