Volume 13, Number 12—December 2007
Research
Epidemiology and Molecular Virus Characterization of Reemerging Rabies, South Africa
Cheryl Cohen*†
, Benn Sartorius*†, Claude Sabeta‡§, Gugulethu Zulu‡§, Janusz Paweska*†, Mamokete Mogoswane¶, Chris Sutton#, Louis H. Nel§, Robert Swanepoel*†, Patricia A. Leman*, Antoinette A. Grobbelaar*, Edwin Dyason**, and Lucille Blumberg*†
, Benn Sartorius*†, Claude Sabeta‡§, Gugulethu Zulu‡§, Janusz Paweska*†, Mamokete Mogoswane¶, Chris Sutton#, Louis H. Nel§, Robert Swanepoel*†, Patricia A. Leman*, Antoinette A. Grobbelaar*, Edwin Dyason**, and Lucille Blumberg*†Table
Clinical and laboratory features of confirmed, probable, and possible human rabies cases, Limpopo Province, South Africa, 2005–2006
| Characteristic | No. confirmed cases/total (%) | No. probable cases/total (%) | No. possible cases/total (%) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical features | ||||
| Hypersalivation | 19/21 (90) | 4/4 (100) | 1/2 (50) | 24/27 (88) |
| Agitation | 14/21 (67) | 2/4 (50) | 0/2 (0) | 16/27 (59) |
| Weakness or paralysis | 14/21 (67) | 3/4 (75) | 2/2 (100) | 19/27 (70) |
| Fever | 14/21 (67) | 1/4 (25) | 1/2 (50) | 16/27 (59) |
| Hallucinations | 11/21 (52) | 4/4 (100) | 1/2 (50) | 16/27 (59) |
| Confusion | 12/21 (57) | 0/4 (0) | 1/2 (50) | 13/27 (48) |
| Hydrophobia | 8/21 (38) | 1/4 (25) | 0/2 (0) | 9/27 (33) |
| Alternating lucidity and confusion | 8/21 (38) | 0/4 (0) | 1/2 (50) | 9/27 (33) |
| Aggression | 6/21 (29) | 1/4 (25) | 0/2 (0) | 7/27 (26) |
| Vomiting | 6/21 (29) | 1/4 (25) | 1/2 (50) | 8/27 (30) |
| Spasms | 5/21 (24) | 0/4 (0) | 0/2 (0) | 5/27 (19) |
| Convulsions | 5/21 (24) | 0/4 (0) | 1/2 (50) | 6/27 (22) |
| Abdominal distension | 4/21 (19) | 1/4 (25) | 0/2 (0) | 5/27 (19) |
| Pain at the bite site | 4/21 (19) | 0/4 (0) | 1/2 (50) | 5/27 (19) |
| Diarrhea | 2/21 (10) | 1/4 (25) | 0/2 (0) | 3/27 (11) |
| Insomnia |
2/21 (10) |
1/4 (25) |
0/2 (0) |
3/27 (11) |
| Laboratory results | ||||
| Elevated leukocyte count (>10 x 109 cells/L) | 9/19 (47) | 4/4 (100) | 0/2 (0) | 13/25 (50) |
| Elevated urea (>7 mmol/L) | 11/19 (61) | 2/4 (50) | 0/2 (0) | 13/25 (50) |
| Elevated creatinine (>100 μmol/L) | 1/19 (5) | 1/4 (25) | 0/2 (0) | 2/25 (1) |
| Elevated total bilirubin (>21 μmol/L) | 0/5 (0) | 0/4 (0) | 0/1 (0) | 0/10 (0) |
| Elevated conjugated bilirubin (>6 μmol/L) | 0/5 (0) | 0/4 (0) | 0/1 (0) | 0/10 (0) |
| Elevated alkaline phosphatase (>120 IU/L) | 3/5 (60) | 3/4 (75) | 1/1 (100) | 7/10 (70) |
| Elevated gamma glucosyl transferase (>35 IU/L) | 2/5 (40) | 0/4 (0) | 0/1 (0) | 2/10 (20) |
| Elevated alanine transaminase (>40 IU/L) | 1/5 (20) | 2/4 (50) | 0/1 (0) | 3/10 (30) |
| Elevated aspartate transaminase (>40 IU/L) | 2/5 (40) | 2/4 (50) | 0/1 (0) | 4/10 (40) |
