Francisella spp. as an overlooked cause of acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Colombia? Unexpected evidence from febrile patients negative for other common and neglected etiologies in Villeta municipality.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) represents a major health challenge in tropical regions due to its wide range of etiologies. In Villeta, Colombia, previous studies investigated common causes such as malaria, arboviral diseases, leptospirosis and rickettsiosis, as well as several neglected bacterial agents. However, some patients remained without an identified etiology, underscoring the need for broader approaches to uncover other potential causes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate into other potential bacterial causes of AUFI through advanced molecular strategies utilizing 16S rRNA sequencing.

Methods

The study analyzed AUFI patient samples previously screened for fourteen pathogens. The V3-V9 hypervariable region of the 16S

SUBMITTER: Silva-Ramos CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12805694 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature