Louseborne Relapsing Fever among East African Refugees, Italy, 2015

Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;22(2):298-301. doi: 10.3201/eid2202.151768.

Abstract

During June 9-September 30, 2015, five cases of louseborne relapsing fever were identified in Turin, Italy. All 5 cases were in young refugees from Somalia, 2 of whom had lived in Italy since 2011. Our report seems to confirm the possibility of local transmission of louse-borne relapsing fever.

Keywords: Borrelia recurrentis; East Africa; Italy; Relapsing fever; bacteria; lice; refugees; vector-borne infections.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Black People*
  • Borrelia* / classification
  • Borrelia* / genetics
  • Borrelia* / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Refugees*
  • Relapsing Fever / diagnosis
  • Relapsing Fever / epidemiology*
  • Relapsing Fever / microbiology*
  • Relapsing Fever / transmission

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S