Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Elders, Philip N.D.
• Swe, Myo Maung Maung
• Phyo, Aung Pyae
• McLean, Alistair R.D.
• Lin, Htet Naing
• Soe, Kyaw
• Htay, Wei Yan Aung
• Tanganuchitcharnchai, Ampai
• Hla, Thel K.
• Tun, Ni Ni
• Nwe, Thin Thin
• Moe, Myat Myat
• Thein, Win May
• Zaw, Ni Ni
• Kyaw, Wai Mon
• Linn, Htun
• Htwe, Yin Yin
• Smithuis, Frank M.
• Blacksell, Stuart D.
• Ashley, Elizabeth A.

Titel

Serological evidence indicates widespread distribution of rickettsioses in Myanmar

Ist Teil von

• International journal of infectious diseases, 2021-02, Vol.103, p.494-501

Ort / Verlag

Canada: Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• •Diagnosis of rickettsial infections is difficult in low-resource settings; this leads to delays in receiving appropriate treatment.•Before this study, the distribution of rickettsioses in Myanmar was not known.•This serosurvey shows that rickettsioses are widespread in Myanmar.•Particularly high prevalence of scrub typhus was found in central and northern regions. Little research has been published on the prevalence of rickettsial infections in Myanmar. This study determined the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to rickettsial species in different regions of Myanmar. Seven hundred leftover blood samples from patients of all ages in primary care clinics and hospitals in seven regions of Myanmar were collected. Samples were screened for scrub typhus group (STG), typhus group (TG) and spotted fever group (SFG) IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Immunofluorescence assays were performed for the same rickettsial groups to confirm seropositivity if ELISA optical density ≥0.5. Overall IgG seroprevalence was 19% [95% confidence interval (CI) 16–22%] for STG, 5% (95% CI 3–7%) for TG and 3% (95% CI: 2–5%) for SFG. The seroprevalence of STG was particularly high in northern and central Myanmar (59% and 19–33%, respectively). Increasing age was associated with higher odds of STG and TG seropositivity [per 10-year increase, adjusted odds ratio estimate 1.68 (p < 0.01) and 1.24 (p = 0.03), respectively]. Rickettsial infections are widespread in Myanmar, with particularly high seroprevalence of STG IgG antibodies in central and northern regions. Healthcare workers should consider rickettsial infections as common causes of fever in Myanmar.