A Study on Rickettsial Infection in the Acute Fever Cases of South Gujarat’s Surat Region, India Indicates Higher Incidences

Author: Amruta R. Patil and Jignaben P. Naik

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Abstract

Rickettsial Infection (RI) is zoonoses disease caused by intracellular bacteria where humans were accidently involved in chain of transmission between insect and animals. Factors which serve as emerging vector borne infection are deforestation, urbanization, changing land use patterns, water control projects, loss of biodiversity, agriculture, and increased global travel, human migration and trade. Because of these factors there are close contact between vector and humans. RI occurs worldwide and clinically manifests as non-specific acute febrile illness (AFI). RI is always misdiagnosed and underreported in India because of outburst of viral fever, symptoms similarities with other common causes of AFI. RI reported from almost all parts of India apart from Gujarat, so our aim is to find out the prevalence of RI in our region by serological Weil-Felix test. Patients Serum samples (> 500) with AFIs were obtained and were tested for RI and other common causes i.e., malaria, dengue, typhoid and chikungunya. In our study for RIs screening were positive in 61.98% samples. RI detected were scrub typhus 101 followed by typhus group 92 and spotted fever group 26 during 2 years of period. High positivity was found in females and age groups of 21-40 years age. This research adds to the limited information available in the literature pertaining to RI in south Gujarat region of India. Our result provides knowledge of RI seroprevalence in our region. This in order allows for more swot of RI mainly region specific.

Keywords

RI, scrub typhus, Typhus fever, spotted fever, prevalence, Weil-Felix test

Conclusion

The RIs seroprevalence is high in our region of study. Of RIs we found that scrub typhus and typhus group fever are more prevalent. Several tests are available for differential diagnosis of AFI with high sensitivity and specificity, but they are not routinely used because of cost and technical reasons in developing countries. Serological tests are the mainstay in AFI differential diagnosis. Suspected RIs is an emergency, and the person must see a health practitioner quickly. Examination of patients’ samples ensures a quick diagnosis and helps them receive the correct treatment early. Failure in diagnosis and treatment put patients at great risk. The burden suspected is high in our region so this infection should include in differential diagnosis of AFI.

References

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How to cite this article

Amruta R. Patil and Jignaben P. Naik (2023). A Study on Rickettsial Infection in the Acute Fever Cases of South Gujarat’s Surat Region, India Indicates Higher Incidences. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(2): 1212-1216.