Dataset Information

High seroprevalence for spotted fever group rickettsiae, is associated with higher temperatures and rural environment in Mbeya region, Southwestern Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rickettsioses are endemic in sub-Sahara Africa. Burden of disease, risk factors and transmission are hitherto sparsely described.

Methods

From the EMINI (Evaluating and Monitoring the Impact of New Interventions) population cohort, we randomly selected 1,228 persons above the age of 5 years from the nine participating communities in Mbeya region, Southwestern Tanzania, stratified by age, altitude of residence and ownership of domestic mammals, to conduct a cross-sectional seroprevalence study in. The aim was to estimate the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against Spotted Fever Group (SFG) rickettsiae and to assess socioeconomic and environmental risk factors. Serology (indirect immunofluorescence) was performed at a dilution of 1:64.

Results

SFG-seropositivity in the cohort was found to be 67.9% (range among nine sites: 42.8-91.4%). Multivariable analysis revealed an association with age (prevalence ratio, PR per 10 years: 1.08; 95% CI 1.06-1.10), warmer temperatures (PR per °C: 1.38; 1.11-1.71), male gender (PR 1.08; 1.00-1.16), and low population density (PR per 1.000 persons/km²increase 0.96; 0.94-0.99). At higher elevations, higher cattle density was associated with higher seroprevalence.

Conclusion

SFG rickettsial infection seems to be common in the more rural population of Mbeya Region. Spread seems to be further limited by temperature and higher elevation. Examination of the contribution of SFG to febrile illnesses seems warranted in a prospective study to estimate the disease burden in the population. This will also allow determination of the causative pathogens.

SUBMITTER: Heinrich N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4388512 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

High seroprevalence for spotted fever group rickettsiae, is associated with higher temperatures and rural environment in Mbeya region, Southwestern Tanzania.

Heinrich Norbert N Dill Tatjana T Dobler Gerhard G Clowes Petra P Kroidl Inge I Starke Mandy M Ntinginya Nyanda Elias NE Maboko Leonard L Löscher Thomas T Hoelscher Michael M Saathoff Elmar E

PLoS neglected tropical diseases 20150407 4

<h4>Background</h4>Rickettsioses are endemic in sub-Sahara Africa. Burden of disease, risk factors and transmission are hitherto sparsely described.<h4>Methods</h4>From the EMINI (Evaluating and Monitoring the Impact of New Interventions) population cohort, we randomly selected 1,228 persons above the age of 5 years from the nine participating communities in Mbeya region, Southwestern Tanzania, stratified by age, altitude of residence and ownership of domestic mammals, to conduct a cross-section ...[more]

PMID: 25849718

Similar Datasets

Project description:Birds are important hosts and dispersers of parasitic arthropods and vector-borne zoonotic pathogens. Particularly migratory species may carry these parasites over long distances in short time periods. Migratory hotspots present ideal conditions to get a snapshot of parasite and pathogen diversity of birds migrating between continents. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and diversity of Rickettsia spp. in ticks collected from birds at a migratory hot-spot in the Danube Delta, Romania, eastern Europe.DNA was extracted from ticks that were collected from migratory birds in the Danube Delta during migratory seasons in 2011-2012. Two 360 bp fragments of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene and a 381 bp fragment Gene gltA were PCR amplified and analyzed by sequence analysis (performed at Macrogen Europe, Amsterdam, The Netherlands). Nucleotide sequences were compared to reference sequences available in the GenBank database, using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool.Four hundred ticks of four different species were found on 11 bird species. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. infection was 14 % (56/400, CI: 11.7-29.1), with significantly more nymphs hosting rickettsial infection compared to larvae (48 vs 7; P?<?0.001). Significantly more ticks in nymphal stage were hosting Rickettsia spp. infection in spring, than in autumn. Four different genospecies were found: R. monacensis (29 ticks), R. helvetica (13), R. massiliae (3) and R. slovaca (2). The seasonal distribution of different Rickettsia spp. was heterogeneous; with most of the R. monacensis-infected ticks were found in spring, while more R. helvetica were found in autumn than spring. R. massiliae was found only in autumn and R. slovaca was found only in spring.This study has shown that birds migrating through eastern Europe may carry ticks infected with a high diversity of rickettsial pathogens, with four Rickettsia spp. recorded. Migratory direction was important for pathogen burden, with seasonal differences in the occurrence of individual Rickettsia species. Here we report the first individual records of different Rickettsia spp. in H. concinna (R. monacensis), I. arboricola (R. helvetica, R. massiliae) and I. redikorzevi (R. helvetica) and also the first geographical record of occurrence of R. massiliae in Romania, representing the easternmost observation on the continent.

Dataset Information

High seroprevalence for spotted fever group rickettsiae, is associated with higher temperatures and rural environment in Mbeya region, Southwestern Tanzania.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

High seroprevalence for spotted fever group rickettsiae, is associated with higher temperatures and rural environment in Mbeya region, Southwestern Tanzania.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets