TY - JOUR AU - Rauch, Jessica AU - Eisermann, Philip AU - Noack, Bernd AU - Mehlhoop, Ute AU - Muntau, Birgit AU - Schäfer, Johannes AU - Tappe, Dennis T1 - Typhus Group Rickettsiosis, Germany, 2010–2017 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2018 VL - 24 IS - 7 SP - 1213 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Typhus group rickettsiosis is caused by the vectorborne bacteria Rickettsia typhi and R. prowazekii. R. typhi, which causes murine typhus, the less severe endemic form of typhus, is transmitted by fleas; R. prowazekii, which causes the severe epidemic form of typhus, is transmitted by body lice. To examine the immunology of human infection with typhus group rickettsiae, we retrospectively reviewed clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory changes, and travel destinations of 28 patients who had typhus group rickettsiosis diagnosed by the German Reference Center for Tropical Pathogens, Hamburg, Germany, during 2010–2017. Immunofluorescence assays of follow-up serum samples indicated simultaneous seroconversion of IgM, IgA, and IgG or concurrence in the first serum sample. Cytokine levels peaked during the second week of infection, coinciding with organ dysfunction and seroconversion. For 3 patients, R. typhi was detected by species-specific nested quantitative PCR. For all 28 patients, R. typhi was the most likely causative pathogen. KW - Rickettsia typhi KW - Rickettsia prowazekii KW - murine typhus KW - epidemic typhus KW - travel KW - PCR KW - serology KW - cytokines KW - vector-borne infections KW - zoonoses KW - bacteria DO - 10.3201/eid2407.180093 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/24/7/18-0093_article ER - End of Reference