Murine typhus in Greece: epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic data from 83 cases

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 96; no. 3; pp. 250 - 253
• Main Authors: Gikas, Achilleas, Doukakis, Stephanos, Pediaditis, John, Kastanakis, Serafim, Psaroulaki, Anna, Tselentis, Yannis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2002; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anemia - microbiology; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; chemotherapy; clinical aspects; diagnosis; Endemic Diseases; Female; Greece; Greece - epidemiology; Hepatomegaly - microbiology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; murine typhus; Prospective Studies; Rickettsia typhi; Rickettsia typhi - isolation & purification; Rickettsial diseases; Seasons; Splenomegaly - microbiology; Tropical bacterial diseases; Tropical medicine; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne - drug therapy; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne - epidemiology; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne - microbiology; Greece; Europe; Greece; murine typhus; clinical aspects; diagnosis; Rickettsia typhi; incidence; chemotherapy; Infection; Human; Symptomatology; Treatment; Murine typhus; Rickettsialosis; Rickettsial infection; Seasonal variation; Bacteriosis; Epidemiology; Incidence
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/S0035-9203(02)90090-8

Over a period of 5 years (1993–97), 83 cases of murine typhus were identified and studied in the city of Chania, on the island of Crete. Of these cases, 4·8% were registered in 1993, 19·3% in 1994, 47·0% in 1995, 10·8% in 1996, and 18·1% in 1997. The greatest incidence of the disease occurred during the third trimester of the year. Direct contact with rats was noted in 45 (54·2%) of 83 patients. Two strains of
Rickettsia typhi were isolated in cell cultures. The predominant clinical manifestations were: fever (100%), headache (88%), chills (86·7%), and rash (79·5%). In 4 of the patients (4·8%), the disease was complicated by acute renal failure, and in 4 other patients (4·8%), by pulmonary consolidations. The outcome under appropriate treatment was favourable for all patients.