Entomological risk of African tick-bite fever (Rickettsia africae infection) in Eswatini.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rickettsia africae is a tick-borne bacterium that causes African tick-bite fever (ATBF) in humans. In southern Africa, the tick Amblyomma hebraeum serves as the primary vector and reservoir for R. africae and transmits the bacterium during any life stage. Previous research has shown that even when malaria has been dramatically reduced, unexplained acute febrile illnesses persist and may be explained by the serological evidence of rickettsiae in humans.

Methodology/principal findings

We collected 12,711 questing Amblyomma larvae across multiple land use types in a savanna landscape in Eswatini. Our results show that host-seeking Amblyomma larvae are abundant across both space and time, with no significant difference in density by land use or season. We investigated

SUBMITTER: Ledger KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9135330 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature