TY - JOUR
T1 - The presence of eschars, but not greater severity, in Portuguese patients infected with Israeli spotted fever.
AU - de Sousa, Rita
AU - Ismail, Nahed
AU - Dória-Nóbrega, Sónia
AU - Costa, Pedro
AU - Abreu, Tiago
AU - França, Ana
AU - Amaro, Mário
AU - Proença, Paula
AU - Brito, Paula
AU - Poças, José
AU - Ramos, Teresa
AU - Cristina, Graça
AU - Pombo, Graça
AU - Vitorino, Liliana
AU - Torgal, Jorge
AU - Bacellar, Fátima
AU - Walker, David
PY - 2005/12
Y1 - 2005/12
N2 - In Portugal, Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is caused by R. conorii Malish and Israeli spotted fever (ISF) strains. It has been suggested that the ISF strain isolated from patients with MSF causes different clinical manifestations compared to those caused by Malish strain, namely the absence of eschar and greater severity. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence or absence of eschar and of fatality in Portuguese patients infected with either Malish or ISF strain. Of 94 patients with a clinical diagnosis of MSF between 1994 to 2004, 47 were infected with Malish strain and 47 with ISF strain. Eschars were reported in 20 patients (49%) infected with Malish strain, and in 17 (39%) with ISF strain. The presence of eschar is not statistically associated to a greater extent with either R. conorii strain (P=0.346). A total of 22 patients died, 9 infected with Malish strain and 13 infected with ISF strain, and no statistically significant difference was found (P=0.330). This study showed that the concepts of absence of the eschar and greater severity in Israeli spotted fever infection should be revised.
AB - In Portugal, Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is caused by R. conorii Malish and Israeli spotted fever (ISF) strains. It has been suggested that the ISF strain isolated from patients with MSF causes different clinical manifestations compared to those caused by Malish strain, namely the absence of eschar and greater severity. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence or absence of eschar and of fatality in Portuguese patients infected with either Malish or ISF strain. Of 94 patients with a clinical diagnosis of MSF between 1994 to 2004, 47 were infected with Malish strain and 47 with ISF strain. Eschars were reported in 20 patients (49%) infected with Malish strain, and in 17 (39%) with ISF strain. The presence of eschar is not statistically associated to a greater extent with either R. conorii strain (P=0.346). A total of 22 patients died, 9 infected with Malish strain and 13 infected with ISF strain, and no statistically significant difference was found (P=0.330). This study showed that the concepts of absence of the eschar and greater severity in Israeli spotted fever infection should be revised.
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U2 - 10.1196/annals.1355.032
DO - 10.1196/annals.1355.032
M3 - Article
C2 - 16481514
AN - SCOPUS:33745685272
SN - 0077-8923
VL - 1063
SP - 197
EP - 202
JO - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
JF - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
ER -