Naslov
Demographic and epidemiologic features of Mediterranean spotted fever cases in the region of Split, Croatia

Autori
Punda-Polić, Volga ; Klišmanić, Zorana ; Čapkun, Vesna ; Bradarić, Nikola

Izvornik
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (0077-8923) 990 (2003); 143-148

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Mediterranean spotted fever ; epidemiology ; Croatia

Sažetak
The first clinical description of spotted fever disease in Croatia was reported in the city of Split (central part of southern Croatia, eastern coast of Adriatic sea) by Tartaglia in 1935. After the first serologically confirmed cases appeared in 1982, a prospective study on Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) in the area of Split (population of 266, 835) was carried out. Patients were identified according to clinical features and diagnosed by serological methods. From 1982 through 1999, a total of 63 patients (age, 11 months to 74 years) were diagnosed of having MSF at the Department of Infectious Diseases University Hospital Split. Forty-one (65.1%) of the patients were male, and 22 (34.9%) were female. The average male to female ratio was1.9 : 1. All age groups were affected, with a peak (28.5%) at the age group of 0 to 9 years (with a morbidity of 50.84 per 100, 000 of corresponding age). The lowest incidence of MSF was in the 20-39 years age group, followed by those older than 70 years. Cases arise 6.6 times more frequently (χ 2 =59.2 ; p=0.000) from people living in suburban-semirural settlements (with the incidence of 59.4/100, 000) than in those from city of Split (8.97/100, 000). Annual incidence of MSF ranged from 1 to 8 cases per year. Most cases (87.3%) occurred from July through September, with a peak incidence in August (42.8%). Thirty-five patients (55.5%) had a history of contact with dogs, and 30 (47.6%) patients recalled tick bite or removal of the tick before disease developed. Tache noire was found in 40 (63.5%) patients. No deaths were recorded. We conclude that the region of Split, Croatia is endemic for Rickettsia conorii, the causative agent of Mediterranean spotted fever.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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