Prevalence Study of Antibody to Ratborne Pathogens and Other Agents among Patients Using a Free Clinic in Downtown Los Angeles

Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are hosts for various microbes. Homeless people who have contact with rats may be at risk of infection by them. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services initiated a seroepidemiologic study among patients who used a free clinic in downtown Los Angeles; 200...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 2002-12, Vol.186 (11), p.1673-1676
Main Authors: Smith, Heather M., Reporter, Roshan, Rood, Michael P., Linscott, Andrea J., Mascola, Laurene M., Hogrefe, Wayne, Purcell, Robert H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Ambulatory Care Facilities
Animals
Antibodies
Antibodies, Bacterial - blood
Antigens
Bartonella
Bartonella - immunology
Bartonella henselae - immunology
Bartonella Infections - epidemiology
Bartonella Infections - microbiology
Bartonella quintana - immunology
Biological and medical sciences
Concise Communication
Disease Reservoirs
Downtowns
Epidemiology. Vaccinations
Female
General aspects
Hantavirus
Hepatitis Antibodies - blood
Hepatitis E - epidemiology
Hepatitis E - virology
Hepatitis E virus
Hepatitis E virus - immunology
Homeless Persons
Humans
Infections
Infectious diseases
Los Angeles
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Pathogens
Prevalence
Rats
Rickettsia typhi - immunology
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Specimens
Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne - epidemiology
Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne - microbiology
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Description
Summary:Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are hosts for various microbes. Homeless people who have contact with rats may be at risk of infection by them. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services initiated a seroepidemiologic study among patients who used a free clinic in downtown Los Angeles; 200 serum specimens obtained for other routine assays were tested for antibodies to ratborne pathogens and other agents. The seroprevalence of antibody to hepatitis E virus in this population was 13.6%; to Bartonella elizabethae 12.5%; to B. quintana 9.5%; to B. henselae 3.5%; to Seoul virus, 0.5%; and to Rickettsia typhi 0.0%. This study found that patients and locally trapped rats had antibodies to some of the same agents
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1086/345377