Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology
Volume 82, Issue 5, 1988, Pages 499-502

Clinical presentation of louse-born relapsing fever among Ethiopian refugees in northern Somalia (Article)

Brown V. , Larouze B. , Desve G. , Rousset J.J. , Thibon M. , Fourrier A. , Schwoebel V.
  • a Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France
  • b Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France
  • c Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France
  • d Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France
  • e Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France
  • f Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France
  • g Medecins Sans Frontieres, 75011 Paris, France

Abstract

Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) is still endemic among Ethiopian populations. In order to assess the clinical presentation of LBRF in an Ethiopian refugee camp in northern Somalia, a referral system was organized for all pyrexias of unknown origin. Among the 134 patients referred, 37 showed Borrelia in fresh and stained blood smears. Common clinical features were: high fever (above 39°C in 73% of the cases), headache and general body pain (88%), liver tenderness (62%), petechia (54%), nausea and vomiting (46%), chills and rigors (30%) and epistaxis (11%). Jaundice was absent. No fatalities were observed. The clinical picture was less severe than in previous studies on LBRF. This difference might be due to the fact that the present study was community-based as opposed to the previous studies which were hospital-based.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Pediculus humanus Somalia louse borne relapsing fever clinical article Phthiraptera human Borrelia
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0023767170&doi=10.1080%2f00034983.1988.11812282&partnerID=40&md5=636259beab1468a138f82681ec7891e0
DOI: 10.1080/00034983.1988.11812282
ISSN: 00034983
Cited by: 23
Original Language: English