Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis - Georgia, 2012-2014

During 2012-2014, five cases of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis were identified by a single urgent care practice in Georgia, located approximately 40 miles southwest of Atlanta. Symptom onset occurred during June-October, and all patients had a known tick bite. Patients ranged in age from 27 to 72...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2016, Vol.65 (28), p.718
Main Authors: Straily, Anne, Feldpausch, Amanda, Ulbrich, Carl, Schell, Kiersten, Casillas, Shannon, Zaki, Sherif R, Denison, Amy M, Condit, Marah, Gabel, Julie, Paddock, Christopher D
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Biopsy
Cell culture
Fever
Infections
Patients
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Summary:During 2012-2014, five cases of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis were identified by a single urgent care practice in Georgia, located approximately 40 miles southwest of Atlanta. Symptom onset occurred during June-October, and all patients had a known tick bite. Patients ranged in age from 27 to 72 years (median = 53 years), and all were male. The most commonly reported initial signs were erythema and swelling at the site of the bite. Two patients reported fever and a third patient reported a rash and lymphadenopathy without fever. Other symptoms included myalgia, chills, fatigue, arthralgia, and headache. The identification of five cases of R. parkeri rickettsiosis from one medical practice during a 3-year interval suggests that this disease is underrecognized in Georgia. During 2012-2014, a total of 335 cases of spotted fever group rickettsiosis were reported in Georgia, including 38 from the health district where the urgent care practice is located.
ISSN:0149-2195
1545-861X