American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 52, Issue 4, 1995, Pages 349-353

Serologic evidence of respiratory and rickettsial infections among Somali refugees (Article)

Gray G.C.* , Rodier G.R. , Matras-Maslin V.C. , Honein M.A. , Ismail E.A. , Botros B.A.M. , Soliman A.K. , Merrell B.R. , San Pin Wang , Grayston J.T.
  • a Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • b Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • c Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • d Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • e Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • f Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • g Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • h Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • i Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States
  • j Research Publications, U.S. Naval Med. Research Unit No. 3, PSC 452 Box 5000, FPO, AE 09835-0007, United States

Abstract

Somali refugees living in a camp located in Djibouti were studied in October 1991 and May 1992. The refugees had been living at the camp for about two years. The median age of volunteers was 25 years, of whom 69% were female. Paired sera obtained seven months apart were evaluated by complement fixation, microimmunofluorescence, indirect fluorescent antibody, streptococcal antibody, and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay techniques for evidence of pathogen infection. Fifty-two percent, 31.3%, 8.0%, 5.9%, and 25.4% of the volunteers had serologic evidence for pre enrollment infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Rickettsia typhi, R. conorii, and Coxiella burnetii, respectively. Similarly, 43.5%, 5.2%, 6.1%, 10.7%, 15.8%, and 11.9% of the volunteers studied had serologic evidence for new infection with Streptococcus pyogenes, C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, R. typhi, R. conorii, and Cox, burnetii, respectively. These data suggest that the studied pathogens may be endemic in displaced populations living in the Horn of Africa.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Rickettsia conorii rickettsiosis Mycoplasma pneumoniae Chlamydophila pneumoniae refugee Rickettsia respiratory tract infection Rickettsia typhi complement fixation immunofluorescence test human Chlamydia human cell human tissue male female enzyme linked immunosorbent assay Streptococcus pyogenes serodiagnosis Article Coxiella burnetii major clinical study Somalia
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0029001951&doi=10.4269%2fajtmh.1995.52.349&partnerID=40&md5=9b9b84348cd27969da8c479d088ce4a8
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1995.52.349
ISSN: 00029637
Cited by: 19
Original Language: English