Natural Mediterranean Spotted Fever Foci, Qingdao, China

Abstract

We sequenced DNA from spleens of rodents captured in rural areas of Qingdao, East China, during 2013–2015. We found 1 Apodemus agrarius mouse infected with Rickettsia conorii , indicating a natural Mediterranean spotted fever foci exists in East China and that the range of R. conorii could be expanding.

The presence of foci of Rickettsia conorii infection in China

“…The gene fragments of R. conorii were initially detected in ticks collected during 2013 – 2014 in Xinjiang, western China [9] . Additionally, R. conorii DNA has been identified in the spleens of rodents collected between 2013 and 2015, suggesting that these rodents may serve as reservoir hosts for R. conorii in Qingdao, Shandong [10] . In addition to our report of the first human infection with R. conorii in 2019 [4] , this is currently the second report of human infection with R. conorii in Shandong Province.…”

History and Current Status of Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) in the Crimean Peninsula and Neighboring Regions along the Black Sea Coast

“…MSF is now known to be endemic in areas extending throughout the countries of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas; to Sub Saharan, Central and South Africa; the Middle East; the Indian subcontinent; and to China [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Depending on the region, the prevalence and clinical manifestations of the disease typically diagnosed as MSF vary substantially.…”