Simple method to differentiate among Rickettsia species.

In this work we present a new option to identify 11 rickettsial species that cause human rickettsioses, with some advantages over the previous methods described. Using rickettsial isolates from 11 Rickettsia species as a sample, we used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify a 990- to 1,000-bp DNA fragment from the ompB gene, common for the 11 Rickettsia species analyzed in this study, which were digested with AluI restriction enzyme to obtain different digestion patterns. This restriction pattern can be visualized using a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique.

Toxoplasma gondii presence in women with spontaneous abortion in Yucatan, Mexico.

The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and DNA of women with spontaneous abortions in 2 hospitals located in Yucatan, Mexico. Between June 2008 and May 2009, blood samples were taken from 100 women with spontaneous abortion attending the Ticul City Communitarian Hospital and the Merida Mother-Kid Hospital. The sera were tested for anti- T.

Murine Typhus: Clinical and epidemiological aspects.

is an intracellular bacteria who causes murine typhus. His importance is reflected in the high frequency founding specific antibodies against Rickettsia typhi in several worldwide seroepidemiological studies, the seroprevalence ranging between 3-36%. Natural reservoirs of R.

Murine typhus in child, Yucatan, Mexico.

A case of murine typhus in Yucatan was diagnosed in a child with nonspecific signs and symptoms. The finding of Rickettsia typhi increases the number of Rickettsia species identified in Yucatan and shows that studies are needed to determine the prevalence and incidence of rickettsioses in Mexico.

A dog naturally infected with Rickettsia akari in Yucatan, México.

Rickettsia akari is the causative agent of rickettsialpox, a primarily urban mite-borne rickettsiosis that is encountered in the United States and in a few countries around the world. Its vector is the mite Liponyssoides sanguineus, which is found on rats and mice, which serve as reservoirs for the disease. In this work we report a severe animal case of R.

Severe human infection with Rickettsia felis associated with hepatitis in Yucatan, Mexico.

Rickettsia felis infection usually is a mild-to-moderate illness characterized by general signs and symptoms. Generally, patients do not require hospitalization. However, we detected 2 severe infections with R.

An increase in human cases of spotted fever rickettsiosis in Yucatan, Mexico, involving children.

The first human case of infection caused by Rickettsia in Yucatan was detected in 1996, and it was determined that the species was R. felis. Since then, passive epidemiologic surveillance was implemented to search for human cases in the public hospitals of the state, and in 2005, the first human case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever was detected.

Short report: Rickettsia felis outer membrane protein A: a potential tool for diagnosis of patients with flea-borne spotted fever.

Rickettsia felis infection in humans has been detected worldwide, causing an illness that could be confused with other viral and bacterial infections such as dengue fever. Despite the high incidence of infection in humans, reservoirs, and vectors, the definitive diagnosis of R. felis infection currently requires polymerase chain reaction and sequencing because its antigens are closely related to other rickettsiae, making serologic diagnosis problematic.

Hemorrhagic pulmonary leptospirosis: three cases from the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico.

Three leptospirosis cases with lung involvement are reported from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. All three patients were admitted to the intensive care unit due to acute respiratory failure. Treatment with antibiotics resulted in favorable evolution despite the negative prognosis.

Rickettsia felis as emergent global threat for humans.

Rickettsia felis is an emergent pathogen belonging to transitional group rickettsiae. First described in 1990, R. felis infections have been reported to occur worldwide in fleas, mammals, and humans.

Fatal human infection with Rickettsia rickettsii, Yucatán, Mexico.

The first fatal Rickettsia rickettsii infection was diagnosed in the southwest of Mexico. The patient had fever, erythematous rash, abdominal pain, and severe central nervous system involvement with convulsive crisis. The diagnosis of R.

Rickettsia felis, the agent of an emerging infectious disease: Report of a new case in Mexico.

The fourth case of human infection with Rickettsia felis in Yucatán, Mexico was documented by serologic testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The role of R. felis in human disease has been demonstrated by molecular methods in a few patients from the U.

Transcription of the Rickettsia felis ompA gene in naturally infected fleas.

Rickettsia felis is maintained transovarially in Ctenocephalides felis fleas in a widespread geographic distribution and is transmitted to humans and animals, including opossums. This rickettsia is phylogenetically a member of the spotted fever group, most closely related to Rickettsia akari and R. australis.

Clinical and laboratorial evidence of Rickettsia felis infections in Latin America.

After the discovery and initial characterization of Rickettsia felis in 1992 by Azad and cols, and the subsequent first description of a human case of infection in 1994, there have been two communications of human rickettsiosis cases caused by Rickettsia felis in Latin America. The first one was published in 2000 by Zavala-Velazquez and cols in Mexico. In 2001 Raoult and cols described the occurrence of two human cases of Rickettsia felis rickettsiosis in Brazil.

Clinical-epidemiological study of leptospirosis in humans and reservoirs in Yucatán, México.

A leptospirosis clinical-epidemiological study was made in humans and reservoirs in the state of Yucatán, México. Interviews and serological analyses were made on 400 persons from an open population, 439 probable cases of leptospirosis and 1060 animal reservoirs (cows, pigs, dogs, rats and opossums). IgM Leptospira Dipstick and Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) was used to detect human antibodies to leptospiras and serovar respectively.