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Spotted fever rickettsiosis, also known as spotted fever group rickettsia (SFGR), is a group of infections that include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, Pacific Coast tick fever, and rickettsialpox. [2] The group of infections was created in 2010 as they are difficult to tell apart. [2]
No rapid laboratory tests are available to diagnose rickettsial diseases early in the course of illness, and serologic assays usually take 10–12 days to become positive. Research is indicating that swabs of eschars may be used for molecular detection of rickettsial infections. [6] [7]
Symptoms can take 1–2 days to 2 weeks to present themselves within the host. [10] The diagnosis of RMSF is easier when there is a known history of a tick bite or if the rash is already apparent in the affected individual. [39] If not treated properly, the illness may become serious, leading to hospitalization and possible fatality. [40]
Diagnosis in the early stages is difficult. [5] A number of laboratory tests can confirm the diagnosis but treatment should be begun based on symptoms. [5] It is within a group known as spotted fever rickettsiosis, together with Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, Pacific Coast tick fever, and rickettsialpox. [6]
The Weil–Felix test is an agglutination test for the diagnosis of rickettsial infections. It was first described in 1916. By virtue of its long history and of its simplicity, it has been one of the most widely employed tests for rickettsia on a global scale, despite being superseded in many settings by more sensitive and specific diagnostic tests.
Rickettsia parkeri (abbreviated R. parkeri) is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium. The organism is found in the Western Hemisphere and is transmitted via the bite of hard ticks of the genus Amblyomma .
Rickettsia is a genus of nonmotile, gram-negative, nonspore-forming, highly pleomorphic bacteria that may occur in the forms of cocci (0.1 μm in diameter), bacilli (1–4 μm long), or threads (up to about 10 μm long).
Rickettsialpox is a mite-borne infectious illness caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia (Rickettsia akari). [1] Physician Robert Huebner and self-trained entomologist Charles Pomerantz played major roles in identifying the cause of the disease after an outbreak in 1946 in a New York City apartment complex, documented in "The Alerting of Mr. Pomerantz," an article by medical writer Berton ...