scholarly journals Rickettsia africae an Agent of African Tick Bite Fever in Ticks Collected from Domestic Animals in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 631
Author(s):  
Benson Chuks Iweriebor ◽  
Ayabulela Nqoro ◽  
Chikwelu Larry Obi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Spotted Fever Group ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae ◽  
Rickettsia Africae ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

Background: Ticks transmit a plethora of pathogens of zoonotic implications. Their distribution, diversity and the pathogens they transmit differ from one ecological location to another. Rickettsia africae is the agent of African tick bite fever found in South Africa, a zoonotic infection that is frequently reported among travelers who have visited many sub-Saharan African countries where the pathogen is prevalent. Methods: Ticks were collected from domestic animals in Raymond Nkandla Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The ticks were identified morphologically prior to DNA extraction followed by molecular identification of randomly selected ticks from the morphologically delineated groups. To assess for the presence of tick-borne pathogens belonging to Rickettsia spp. by PCR (polymerase chain reaction), we used specific primer pairs targeting the gltA, ompA and ompB genes. The selected amplified ticks, all positive ompB and forty three ompA amplicons were sequenced in a commercial sequencing facility. The obtained nucleotide sequences were edited and subjected to BLASTn for homology search and phylogenetic analyses were performed with MEGA 7 Version for genetic relationships with curated reference sequences in GenBank. Results: A total of 953 ticks collected in the study were delineated into three genera consisting of Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma in decreasing order of abundance. The presence of rickettsial DNA was detected in 60/953 (6.3%) from the three genera of ticks screened. Genetic analyses of the DNA sequences obtained showed that they have phylogenetic relationship to members of the spotted fever group rickettsiae with R. africae, being the predominant SFGR (spotted fever group rickettsiae) detected in the screened ticks. Conclusion: This report shows that R. africae is the predominant spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks collected from domestic animals in the study area and the human health impacts are not known.

scholarly journals Comparison of Immunofluorescence, Western Blotting, and Cross-Adsorption Assays for Diagnosis of African Tick Bite Fever

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 786-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mogens Jensenius ◽  
Pierre-Edouard Fournier ◽  
Sirkka Vene ◽  
Signe Holta Ringertz ◽  
Bjørn Myrvang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Blotting ◽  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Immunofluorescence Assay ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Spotted Fever Group ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Rickettsia Africae ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Paired Serum ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

ABSTRACT In testing paired serum samples from 40 consecutive cases of African tick bite fever, we detected diagnostic antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsiae in 45% of the patients by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and in 100% of the patients by Western blotting (WB) (P < 0.01). A specific diagnosis of Rickettsia africae infection could be established in 15% of the patients by IFA and in 73% of the patients by a combination of WB and cross-adsorption assays (P < 0.01).

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitudes and practices on African tick bite fever of rural livestock communities living in a livestock-wildlife interface area in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tandiwe Katswara ◽  
Samson Mukaratirwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Tick Bites ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Rickettsia Africae ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

Abstract Background African tick bite fever (ATBF) caused by Rickettsia africae and transmitted by Amblyomma spp. ticks is one of the zoonotic tick-borne fevers from the spotted fever group (SFG) of rickettsiae, which is an emerging global health concern. There is paucity of information regarding the occurrence and awareness of the disease in endemic rural livestock farming communities living in livestock-wildlife interface areas in South Africa. Methods The purpose of the study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices on ticks and ATBF infection from a community living in livestock-wildlife interface areas in South Africa. A focus group discussion (FGD) was carried out followed by verbal administration of a standardized semi-structured questionnaire a month later to 38 rural livestock farmers (23 from Caquba area and 15 from Lucingweni area where A. hebraeum was absent). An FGD was conducted in Caquba (situated at the livestock-wildlife interface where Amblyomma hebraeum was prevalent on cattle and infected with Rickettsia africae) in the O.R. Tambo district of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Results Results from the FGD and questionnaire survey showed that participants from the two rural communities were not aware of ATBF and were not aware that ticks are vectors of the disease. Respondents from Caquba reported of having frequent exposure to tick bites (91.3%, 21/23) specifically from the anthropophilic A. hebrauem which they were able to identify as Qwelagqibe in IsiXhosa (their vernacular). Thirteen out of 15 (86.7%) of respondents from Lucingweni reported that they had never been bitten by ticks, which corresponded with the absence of A. hebraeum from their locality as evidenced from results of a concurrent study on prevalence of ticks on livestock in the area. Both communities confirmed to being “very concerned” of tick bites and we presume this was more related to the localized wounds from the bites than to the diseases transmitted by the ticks. Conclusions We recommend future studies encompassing seroprevalence of ATBF in Caquba and other communities at risk in South Africa including establishing surveillance systems to monitor the seasonal infection rates in ticks, cattle and humans.

African tick-bite fever: a new spotted fever group rickettsiosis under an old name

The Lancet ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 340 (8825) ◽  
pp. 982-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Kelly ◽  
Linda Matthewman ◽  
Lorenza Beati ◽  
Didier Raoult ◽  
Peter Mason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Spotted Fever Group ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

scholarly journals Kinetics of Antibody Responses in Rickettsia africae and Rickettsia conorii Infections

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 324-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Edouard Fournier ◽  
Mogens Jensenius ◽  
Herman Laferl ◽  
Sirka Vene ◽  
Didier Raoult
Keyword(s):  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Rickettsia Conorii ◽  
Mediterranean Spotted Fever ◽  
Doxycycline Treatment ◽  
Rickettsia Africae ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

ABSTRACT African tick-bite fever, caused by Rickettsia africae, is the most common tick-borne rickettsiosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Mediterranean spotted fever due to Rickettsia conorii also occurs in the region but is more prevalent in Mediterranean countries. Using microimmunofluorescence, we compared the development of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM titers in 48 patients with African tick-bite fever and 48 patients with Mediterranean spotted fever. Doxycycline treatment within 7 days from the onset of disease significantly prevented the development of antibodies to R. africae. In patients with African tick-bite fever, the median times to seroconversion with IgG and IgM were 28 and 25 days, respectively, after the onset of symptoms. These were significantly longer by a median of 6 days for IgG and 9 days for IgM than the times for seroconversion in patients with Mediterranean spotted fever (P < 10−2). We recommend that sera collected 4 weeks after the onset of signs of patients with suspected African tick-bite fever should be used for the definitive serological diagnosis of R. africae infections.

scholarly journals Inoculation Eschars and Fever: A Case of African Tick Bite Fever

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-264
Author(s):  
R. Bouceiro-Mendes ◽  
M. Mendonça-Sanches ◽  
L. Soares-de-Almeida ◽  
I. Correia-Fonseca
Keyword(s):  
Spotted Fever ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Rickettsia Africae ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
History Of ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Global Increase ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

African tick bite fever is caused by the intracellular bacteria Rickettsia africae. This bacterium is transmitted through the bite of the Amblyomma tick, which carries a high rate of R. africae infection. African tick bite fever is the second most frequent cause of fever in travelers returning from sub-Saharan Africa.We present the case of a 58-year-old man, returning from South Africa, with a three-day history of fever, generalized headache and cervical myalgia. On physical examination multiple inoculation eschars and tender inguinal lymph nodes were documented.Histological examination of a skin lesion was compatible with spotted fever and the diagnosis of R. africae infection was confirmed through polymerase chain reaction analysis.The global increase in international tourism, particularly to remote areas, predisposes to tick bites. In febrile tourists returning from endemic areas and after a thorough clinical examination, the diagnosis of African tick bite fever should be born in mind.

Relative chemokine and adhesion molecule expression in Mediterranean spotted fever and African tick bite fever

2009 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan K. Damås ◽  
Giovanni Davì ◽  
Mogens Jensenius ◽  
Francesca Santilli ◽  
Kari Otterdal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Mediterranean Spotted Fever ◽  
Adhesion Molecule Expression ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

scholarly journals African Tick Bite Fever in Elderly Patients: 8 Cases in French Tourists Returning from South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. e28-e35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Roch ◽  
Olivier Epaulard ◽  
Isabelle Pelloux ◽  
Patricia Pavese ◽  
Jean‐Paul Brion ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

scholarly journals Rickettsia africae sp. nov., the Etiological Agent of African Tick Bite Fever

1996 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 611-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. KELLY ◽  
L. BEATI ◽  
P. R. MASON ◽  
L. A. MATTHEWMAN ◽  
V. ROUX ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Etiological Agent ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Rickettsia Africae ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever

scholarly journals Unusual Location of an Inoculation Lesion in a Traveler with African Tick‐Bite Fever Returning from South Africa

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 439-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Henri Consigny ◽  
Ina Schuett ◽  
Sylvie Fraitag ◽  
Jean‐Marc Rolain ◽  
Pierre Buffet
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Tick Bite ◽  
Unusual Location ◽  
African Tick Bite Fever ◽  
Tick Bite Fever
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document