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Imported rickettsial disease: clinical and epidemiologic features
J C McDonald1, J D MacLean, J E McDade
1McGill University Center for Tropical Disease, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The American Journal of Medicine
|December 1, 1988
Summary
Rickettsial diseases pose global health risks. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial for travelers returning from endemic areas, as effective therapies exist.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Tropical Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Rickettsioses are significant global health concerns, exacerbated by international travel.
- Physician awareness of rickettsial diseases is critical for timely diagnosis.
Observation:
- Presents four imported rickettsial cases in Canada: two tick typhus, one scrub typhus, one murine typhus.
- Reviews North American data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) over ten years.
Findings:
- In the US, imported scrub typhus (post-India travel) and murine typhus (post-SE Asia travel) cases were confirmed.
- The CDC confirmed 67 imported tick typhus cases, primarily after travel to Africa.
Implications:
- Rickettsial diseases are often underdiagnosed by physicians.
- Early consideration of rickettsial diagnoses in returning travelers is essential.
- Prompt diagnosis and treatment are vital due to available effective therapies.