Abstract |
101 cases of murine typhus (MT) were diagnosed in recent years (48 cases in the region of Chania and 53 cases in the island of Cyprus). Clinical features which suggested MT included fever, rash, headaches, splenomegalia, hepatomegalia and elevations in serum enzymes. IF tests were performed as part of the diagnostic evaluation. The shell-vial technique was used for iPCR-RFLP was performed for detection and identification of R.typhi (the etiologic agent of murine typhus). R.typhi was detected in 34,78% of the patients, and isolated and cultivated (in Vero cells), from 17,39% of the patients. In order to investigate the endemicity of MT and the transmission cycle of R.typhi in three areas were cases of murine typhus were diagnosed (Euboea, Chania, Cyprus), 555 fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) and blood samples from 93 rats (R.norvegicus and R. rattus) were collected. The presence of R.typhi both in fleas and rats was demonstrated (using IF and PCR-RFLP). The overall infection rate both for fleas and rats was high. R.typhi isolated from two rats. MT has never been reported in Cyprus. To estimate the seropositivity among human population of MT in Cyprus, 575 sera collected wideside Cyprus (from 50 different regions), were examined by IF for lgG and lgM antibodies against R.typhi. The sample collection was accompanied with questionnaires included epidemiological data. Out of 575 sera tested, 272 (47,3%) were positive for lgG (titer>=60), while 83 (14, 43%) of the sera were found to be positive for lgM.
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