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. 2017 May;96(5):1084-1087.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0399.

Seroprevalence of Scrub Typhus, Typhus, and Spotted Fever Among Rural and Urban Populations of Northern Vietnam

Nguyen Vu Trung  1 , Le Thi Hoi  1 , Nguyen Thi Hong Thuong  2 , Tran Khanh Toan  3 , Tran Thi Kieu Huong  2 , Tran Mai Hoa  1 , Annette Fox  4   2 , Nguyen van Kinh  1 , H Rogier van Doorn  5   2 , Heiman F L Wertheim  6   5   2 , Juliet E Bryant  5   2 , Behzad Nadjm  5   2
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of Scrub Typhus, Typhus, and Spotted Fever Among Rural and Urban Populations of Northern Vietnam

Nguyen Vu Trung et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 May.

Abstract

AbstractRickettsial infections are recognized as important causes of fever throughout southeast Asia. Herein, we determined the seroprevalence to rickettsioses within rural and urban populations of northern Vietnam. Prevalence of individuals with evidence of prior rickettsial infections (IgG positive) was surprisingly low, with 9.14% (83/908) testing positive to the three major rickettsial serogroups thought to circulate in the region. Prevalence of typhus group rickettsiae (TG)-specific antibodies (6.5%, 58/908) was significantly greater than scrub typhus group orientiae (STG)- or spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFG)-specific antibodies (P < 0.05). The majority of TG seropositives were observed among urban rather than rural residents (P < 0.05). In contrast, overall antibody prevalence to STG and SFG were both very low (1.1%, 10/908 for STG; 1.7%, 15/908 for SFG), with no significant differences between rural and urban residents. These results provide data on baseline population characteristics that may help inform development of Rickettsia serological testing criteria in future clinical studies.

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