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At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in Thai scrub typhus patients.

We report the development of an improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect Orientia (formerly Rickettsia) tsutsugamushi antibody in human sera. Results were compared with a standard test, the indirect immunoperoxidase assay (IIP). Control serum samples were collected from 96 American soldiers and 198 Royal Thai Army soldiers with no recent history of clinical illness. Sera were examined from 79 febrile, Thai scrub typhus patients presenting at Chiang Rai (76) and Bangkraui Nontaburi (3) Provincial hospitals (cases confirmed by elevated IIP IgG levels > or = 1:1,600, IgM levels > or = 1:400, or presence of an eschar). The mean + 2 SD, used for the upper limit of normal reactions in the IgG ELISA, was 0.10 for U.S. soldiers and 0.42 for Thai soldiers. Using the 0.10 cutoff value, 29% of the asymptomatic Thai soldiers would be designated as antibody positive. Variability of IgG ELISA values was greater in the Thai soldier group than in American soldiers, possibly reflecting previous exposure to O. tsutsugamushi. In the Thai patients, there was a significant correlation between IIP titers and single serum dilution (1:100) ELISA values (IgG, r = 0.75, n = 104; P < 0.0005; IgM, r = 0.70, n = 75; P < 0.0005) and between IIP titers and ELISA titers (IgG, r = 0.87, n = 103; P < 0.0005; IgM, r = 0.76, n = 75; P < 0.0005). The single serum dilution ELISA was as effective as the titration in determining presence of specific antibodies. The O. tsutsugamushi ELISA is a rapid and objective test amenable to accurately testing the large numbers of sera often obtained in seroepidemiologic investigations.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A cluster of murine typhus cases in Western Australia.

Measures to control rodents have resulted in a decreased incidence of murine typhus, but it is also likely that it is being underdiagnosed because many medical practitioners do not include it in their differential diagnosis of pyrexia of unknown origin. Four recent cases are described, and historical aspects of this disease in Australia are presented.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Human anti-scrub typhus rickettsia and rabbit anti-Proteus antibodies recognize similar epitope in the O-polysaccharide part of Proteus mirabilis OXK lipopolysaccharide.

In the Weil-Felix test, sera from patients infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi reacted with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Proteus mirabilis OXK strains. The O-polysaccharide of P. mirabilis OXK LPS consisted of pentasaccharide repeating units, with amidically-linked lysine residues. The lysine, linked to galacturonic residues, which plays an important role in the reaction with rabbit anti-OXK antibodies, was revealed with the aid of synthetic antigens. Using ELISA, immunoglobulin M antibodies from scrub typhus patients reacted with the O-specific polysaccharide of strain OXK LPS only. This reaction was inhibited by rabbit antibodies specific to the O-antigen of strain OXK LPS. Both human and rabbit antibodies may bind to similar epitopes on the O-polysaccharide part of P. mirabilis OXK LPS.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1999

Meningoencephalitis, myocarditis and disseminated intravascular coagulation in a patient with scrub typhus.

A 21-year-old male soldier was admitted due to a sore throat, headache, generalized lymphadenopathy and persistent fever for 12 days. Despite empirical antibiotic treatment for four days at a clinic prior to admission, he continued to have persistent abdominal pain over his right upper quadrant region and progressive jaundice was followed by shock. After admission, he developed an episode of clonic seizures and became delirious and agitated. An electrocardiogram showed first degree atrioventricular (AV) block and non-specific ST-T wave changes. Hematological studies revealed thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, abnormal partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and a positive test for D-dimer. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis with white cells of 84/mm3 with a lymphocyte predominance, protein of 97 mg/dL and glucose of 79 mg/dL. Indirect immunofluorescence assay showed a fourfold rise in antibodies to Orientia tsutsugamushi in paired serum with IgM antibody titer of 1:640. The patient had a favorable response after parenteral chloramphenicol in addition to oral tetracycline. Early ricognition of scrub typhus and early prescription of anti-rickettsial agents prevent complications of central nervous system involvement and further deterioration of cardiac and hematological function.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[The fight against dysentery, typhus and typhoid by Polish underground between 1941-1944].

Between 1941 and 1944 the Polish Home Army sanitary service was well prepared for the fight against infections diseases. The underground in so called General Government was both well organised and unimerous (nearly 350,000). The medical staff consisted of army doctors not taken prisoner, and civilians who as reserve officers were sworn to serve in the Home Army. Students from both elementary and secondary schools acted as undercover nurses having been prepared for the job by girl guides organisation. The main infections diseases were dysentery typhus and typhoid. Other diseases were rather rare during the World War Two. Since majority of population had been inoculated, the partisans needed only boosters. The typhoid spread in winters of 1941-42 and 1942-43 to the cast of the Vistula. Infections centres were isolated yet only the German part of population was inoculated by Weigl method. Since the vaccine was both expensive and hard to get only the Polish a staff officers of the Home Army and some doctors were inoculated. The epidemics of dysentery was particularly dangerous in August and September 1944 in the Kampinos Group during the Warsaw Uprising. In the barns of six villages in Kampinos there were 1190 sick partisans. Small amounts of medicines were parachuted by Polish Air Force from Italy. Therefor the chief medical officer recommended each patient drink a glass of bovine blood daily. This decreased mortality to nearly a zero.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed1997

[The epidemic of typhus in the Polish Army in the USSR (1941-1942)].

Using the archival documents from the Sikorski Institute in London the author presented the course of the epidemic. The first cases of typhus appeared at the time of the organizing of the army in the region of Tockoje. The epidemic however broke out a bit later when the army moved to the South of the USSR. The climax of this epidemic took place in February of 1942. Altogether 7346 were taken ill with the disease and 1290 people died. After the first wave of the evacuation to Teheran there were also many civilians taken ill by this disease. The names of the doctors who died as the result of their work at the time of the epidemic were mentioned in the same article.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1975

Clinical observations of scrub typhus on Penghu (the Pescadores Islands).

Between May and September 1973, 68 cases of scrub typhus in Chinese military personnel on the Pescadores Islands were studied. The common symptoms and signs were fever, chills, headache, eschar, myalgia, and lymph node enlargement. Most eschars were located in the axilla, waist, groin and genitals, and neck. These lesions were painless and not noticed by the patients themselves. Regional lymph node enlargement at the site of eschar drainage was common. Relative bradycardia with fever was observed in 40%, a skin rash in 35% of the patients. Leucopenia was noted more frequently in the febrile than in the convalescent stage, but more than half of the patients had a normal count. Lymphocytosis was prominent, especially during the convalescent period. An acceleration of ESR was noted. Instead of depression of the erythroid series in the marrow which was reported previously, 47% of examined patients were found to have erythroid hyperplasia. Two patients showed marked hypocellularity of the marrow in the acute febrile stage; later on became normocellular. Albuminuria was present in 15 and BUN increased in 12 patients. Elevation of serum bilirubin and SGOT was also noted. Biologic false positive VDRL tests were observed in nine patients. In 30 tests elevation of Proteus OX-K titres between 1:160 and 1:640 was noted. A geometric mean OX-K titre rise in the patients is presented; the mean titre reached a peak in the third week of illness, and then fell off. Most of the patients were treated with tetracycline 500 mg every six hours for about nine days. The fever usually subsided within 36 hours. Complications or mortality were not encountered.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Hermann Mooser, Typhus, Warsaw 1941.

Hermann Mooser (1891-1971), a Swiss rickettsiologist, sent his friend Peyton Rous (1879-1970) of the Rockefeller Institute (New York) a telegram on November 3, 1941, asking for financial help for the manufacture of typhus vaccine in Zurich for the Warsaw Ghetto. His explanatory letter from November 4 reached Rous too late to have any influence on the negative decision (by the Rockefeller Foundation and the American Red Cross) in this matter. Contrary to Weindling's affirmation Mooser was neither in Warsaw in 1941, nor was he a member of the Swiss Sanitary Missions to the eastern front.

Fund Raising↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Data on the use of serological tests for differentiation of exanthematous typhus primary infection from that of recurrences in native cases of Brill-Zinsser disease].

A group of sera from autochtonous cases of Brill-Zinsser's disease, in the early acute phase, were examined by the tests of Murray et al. and Voronova, in the course of a study on the characteristics of the immune response in primary and secondary stimulation with Rickettsia prowazeki. The results obtained both with these sera and those of primary typhus cases from other countries, suggest the possibility of establishing a serologic diagnosis of Brill-Zinsser's disease, with certainty, by identifying the secondary nature of the disease according to the presence of antibodies type 7 S. The authors recommend complement fixation with increasing soluble R. prowazeki antigen concentrations as a method of electron for routine diagnosis.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1992

Scrub typhus and pregnancy: a case report and literature review.

Scrub typhus is still prevalent on Penghu Islands. We herein report a case in a pregnant woman who had been to Yi-Lan County in Taiwan. The patient responded well to Minocycline (Minocin) therapy without complication. Her newborn baby was found not complicated with the disease. The relative literature is reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Scrub typhus.

Scrub typhus is being increasingly reported in adults in India. It should be considered a strong possibility in all undifferentiated fevers. Two children with this infection are being reported highlighting the wide variation in clinical presentation. Specific tests should be preferred over Weil Felix test wherever possible especially in areas reporting a high incidence of the infection.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2005

Investigation of an outbreak of scrub typhus in the himalayan region of India.

In Indira Gandhi Medical College, Himachal Pradesh, India, during autumn of 2003 (September-November), more than 100 cases of fever of unknown origin (FUO) were reported with 15 ensuing deaths. In addition to all routine investigations and cultures, the Weil-Felix test was incorporated for the investigation of these cases. Antigen was procured from the Central Research Institute, Kasauli. Forty-six percent (45/96) of the cases demonstrated a > or =1:80 titer of agglutinins against OXK antigen. A team from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, confirmed the antibodies for scrub typhus in some of the serum samples tested for leptospirosis, dengue fever, and rickettsial infections. Twelve blood samples positive for OXK antigen were sent to the Defense Research Development Establishment, Gwalior, for polymerase chain reaction studies, but none of the samples were positive, as all of the patients were already on broad-spectrum antibiotics and had reported to our hospital after 7-10 days of fever. At our institute, the Weil-Felix test has now been rountinely introduced for the investigation of cases of FUO, and the results until April 2004 (150 cases) revealed the presence of other rickettsial infections prevalent in the region. To evaluate the epidemiology and magnitude of the problem, further prospective studies are required.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed2005

Women scientists in typhus research during the first half of the twentieth century.

Several women scientists have contributed to typhus research, which carried an exceptionally high risk of laboratory infection. The work of five of them, Ida Bengtson (1881-1952), Muriel Robertson (1883-1973), Hilda Sikora (1889-1974), Hélène Sparrow (1891-1970) and Clara Nigg (1897-1986), is reviewed and the names of several others are mentioned. The lives of these women seem typical of rickettsiologists and reflect the disasters that befell the world during the first half of the twentieth century.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed2006

ARDS complicating scrub typhus in Sub-Himalayan region.

Scrub typhus is a febrile illness widely endemic in Asia caused by Rickettsiae tsutsugamushi in which humans are accidental hosts. If there is delay in the initiation of the appropriate antimicrobial therapy patient may present with serious complications. We report three cases that presented in emergency with acute respiratory distress syndrome and history of fever for more than one-week duration. On investigation all the three patients were positive for Weil Felix reaction and showed dramatic response to doxycycline.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Murine typhus - rare cause of fever return from Egypt].

Authors present a case report of 42-year male who spent 14 days in August of 2003 in Egyptian seaside summer town Hurghada and later he was admitted to the Infectious Disease Department Prague with the fever lasting 4 days. His symptoms were as follows: strong headache and dry cough. On the 7th and 8th day appeared transient maculopapular rash, laboratory test revealed a slightly elevated C reactive protein and elevation of amino transferases up to 5 times higher than range values, chest X-ray showed hypoventilation opacities on the lower lung fields, other findings were non-specifically changed or normal. The fever dropped after 15 days without any response to administered antibiotics-amoxicillin/clavulanate, clarithromycin a ofloxacin. Weil-Felix reaction with antigen Proteus OX19 (1 : 5120) was highly positive and positive antibodies IgG and IgM against Rickettsia typhi were positive. Later doxycycline was given, problems fully subsided, laboratory values were normalised up to six weeks from the beginning of the disease. Diagnosis was completed as murine typhus. The patient excluded arthropode bit. The authors considered the possibility of inhaled contaminated dust during his visit of the port. The above given case was firstly referred in the Czech Republic and still it is the only case.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Murine typhus in Kaukapakapa?

We report a patient who had not been outside New Zealand with a fever and maculopapular rash. Serology suggested acute murine typhus due to R typhi. This is the first reported case in New Zealand from a nontraveller.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The effect of antibiotics and immunostimulants on rickettsial persistence in experimental typhus infection].

A model of experimental typhus infection has shown that not only specific protection factors but also nonspecific ones are very important to remove Rickettsia prowazekii from macroorganisms. A complex application of antibiotics and drugs increasing immunobiological reactivity of the organism (prodigiosan, methyl uracil) noticeably decreases the rickettsia persistence level in the organism of experimental animals, the indices of specific and nonspecific protection being increased.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1989

[Scrub typhus: an imported case seen in Milan].

The Authors describe a scrub typhus case imported from Indo-China and observed in Milan, which is probably the first case reported in Italy. The patient, on holiday journey, exposed herself unwisely to the danger of catching the infection. The diagnosis was based on clinical grounds and Weil-Felix reaction. The problems of the diagnosis reliability and of the imported diseases are briefly discussed as well.

Adult↗