Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in a Large Metropolitan Center, Mexico–United States Border, 2009–2019

Zazueta, Oscar E.; Armstrong, Paige A.; Márquez-Elguea, Adriana; Milan, Néstor Saúl Hernández; Peterson, Amy E.; Ovalle-Marroquín, Diego F; Fierro, Maria; Arroyo-Machado, Rodolfo; Rodríguez-Lomelí, Moisés; Trejo-Dozal, Guillermo; Paddock, Christopher D.

doi:10.3201/eid2706.191662

Cited by 34 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) has been identified as an effective RMSF vector in the US [31]. A large urban outbreak of RMSF has persisted in Mexicali, the capital of Baja California, since 2009 [32][33][34]. In addition, molecular detection of R. rickettsii -infected Rh.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes

et al. 2022

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Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a life-threatening tick-borne disease documented in North, Central, and South America. In California, RMSF is rare; nonetheless, recent fatal cases highlight ecological cycles of the two genera of ticks, Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus, known to transmit the disease. These ticks occur in completely different habitats (sylvatic and peridomestic, respectively) resulting in different exposure risks for humans. This study summarizes the demographic, exposure, and clinical aspects associated with the last 40 years of reported RMSF cases to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Seventy-eight RMSF cases with onsets from 1980 to 2019 were reviewed. The incidence of RMSF has risen in the last 20 years from 0.04 cases per million to 0.07 cases per million (a two-fold increase in reports), though the percentage of cases that were confirmed dropped significantly from 72% to 25% of all reported cases. Notably, Hispanic/Latino populations saw the greatest rise in incidence. Cases of RMSF in California result from autochthonous and out-of-state exposures. During the last 20 years, more cases reported exposure in Southern California or Mexico than in the previous 20 years. The driver of these epidemiologic changes is likely the establishment and expansion of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato ticks in Southern California and on-going outbreaks of RMSF in northern Mexico. Analysis of available electronically reported clinical data from 2011 to 2019 showed that 57% of reported cases presented with serious illness requiring hospitalization with a 7% mortality. The difficulty in recognizing RMSF is due to a non-specific clinical presentation; however, querying patients on the potential of tick exposure in both sylvatic and peridomestic environments may facilitate appropriate testing and treatment.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes

et al. 2022

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“…Critically ill patients may suffer organ failure and those who recover may develop long-term consequences [ 1 , 11 , 12 ]. Although isolated cases and familial clusters can appear throughout the Americas [ 1 ], localized Rocky Mountain spotted fever outbreaks can occur, as in some communities in northern Mexico [ 5 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Cases have been reported in the region since 1940 [ 1 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling of Control Efforts against Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the Vector of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Sonora Mexico

Álvarez

Trejo

Ratti

et al. 2022

Insects

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Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a significant health problem in Sonora, Mexico. The tick vector, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, feeds almost exclusively on domestic dogs that, in this region, also serve as the reservoir for the tick-borne pathogen, Rickettsia rickettsii. A process-based mathematical model of the life cycle of R. sanguineus was developed to predict combinations of insecticidal dog collars and long-lasting insecticidal wall treatments resulting in suppression of indoor tick populations. Because of a high burden of RMSF in a rural community near the Sonora state capital of Hermosillo, a test area was treated with a combination of insecticidal dog collars and long-lasting insecticidal wall treatments from March 2018 to April 2019, with subsequent reduction in RMSF cases and deaths. An estimated 80% of the dogs in the area had collars applied and 15% of the houses were treated. Data on tick abundance on walls and dogs, collected during this intervention, were used to parameterize the model. Model results show a variety of treatment combinations likely to be as successful as the one carried out in the test community.

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“…Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and spotted fever group rickettsiosis (SFGR), including Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), have been reported in México [7][8][9][10][11], with RMSF being the most prevalent and fatal tick-borne disease in the country [12,13]. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is especially devastating in México as the majority of mortalities are children [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus Sensu Lato) Infection with Endosymbiont and Human Pathogenic Rickettsia spp., in Northeastern México

Salomon

Santos

Zecca

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Of the documented tick-borne diseases infecting humans in México, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii, is responsible for most fatalities. Given recent evidence of brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., as an emerging vector of human RMSF, we aimed to evaluate dogs and their ticks for rickettsiae infections as an initial step in assessing the establishment of this pathosystem in a poorly studied region of northeastern México while evaluating the use of dogs as sentinels for transmission/human disease risk. We sampled owned dogs living in six disadvantaged neighborhoods of Reynosa, northeastern México to collect whole blood and ticks. Of 168 dogs assessed, tick infestation prevalence was 53%, composed of exclusively Rh. sanguineus s. l. (n = 2170 ticks). Using PCR and sequencing, we identified an overall rickettsiae infection prevalence of 4.1% (n = 12/292) in ticks, in which eight dogs harbored at least one infected tick. Rickettsiae infections included Rickettsia amblyommatis and Rickettsia parkeri, both of which are emerging human pathogens, as well as Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae. This is the first documentation of pathogenic Rickettsia species in Rh. sanguineus s.l. collected from dogs from northeastern México. Domestic dog infestation with Rickettsia-infected ticks indicates ongoing transmission; thus, humans are at risk for exposure, and this underscores the importance of public and veterinary health surveillance for these pathogens.

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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in a Large Metropolitan Center, Mexico–United States Border, 2009–2019

Cited by 34 publications

References 32 publications

A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes

A forty-year review of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in California shows clinical and epidemiologic changes

Modeling of Control Efforts against Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the Vector of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Sonora Mexico

Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus Sensu Lato) Infection with Endosymbiont and Human Pathogenic Rickettsia spp., in Northeastern México

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