[Tick-borne relapsing fever in Madagascar: an eradicated disease?]

Since about thirty years, no relapsing fever due to Borrelia duttoni is recorded from Madagascar. A survey was conducted in the formerly endemic area, between Soalala and Majunga, in order to collect data on possible cases and to look if the vector, Ornithodoros moubata is still present. No mention of the disease was recorded; all Ornithodoros seem to have completely disappeared in the area, without any clear reason. However, a few O. moubata specimens were recorded from piggeries in Mahasolo, 150 km west of Tananarive, outside the endemic area.