Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae among Children with Acute Febrile Illness, in Gorakhpur, India

J Trop Pediatr. 2021 Jul 2;67(3):fmaa031. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmaa031.

Abstract

Seasonal outbreaks of acute encephalitis syndrome have been occurring in Gorakhpur division in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh during monsoon and post-monsoon months. Orientia tsutsugamushi was identified as the major aetiology of these outbreaks. Orientia tsutsugamushi was also identified as one of the important aetiology of febrile illness among children attending peripheral health facilities. The present study was undertaken to detect antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) and typhus group rickettsiae (TGR) among children with acute febrile illness presenting at peripheral health facilities in Gorakhpur district. Of the 224 blood samples tested, SFGR infection was detected in 13 (6%) patients. None of the samples tested positive for TGR.

Keywords: Gorakhpur; India; scrub typhus; spotted fever group rickettsiae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Febrile Encephalopathy*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Child
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Orientia tsutsugamushi*
  • Rickettsia*
  • Scrub Typhus* / complications
  • Scrub Typhus* / diagnosis
  • Scrub Typhus* / epidemiology
  • Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis* / diagnosis
  • Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis* / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial