(73%) during December 2003 to November 2004, to 23 of 65 (35%) during December 2004 to July 2005 (p<0.0001). Although reports of H5N1 family clusters slightly increased, the increase was not statistically significant. Nevertheless, we believe any cluster of cases is of great concern and should be promptly and thoroughly investigated because it might be the first indication of viral mutations re...

the city of Jessore, with a population of about 6,000 people, 10 deaths occurred daily. No other epidemic, it is stated, tf 5"^p\ | occurred in the city up to 1865, in which year there was a I great outbreak in all the adjoining districts, which was believed to have originated in Jessore. It appears that the inhabitants consider an outbreak of fever in September, October and November of each ye...

Many different opinions are observed if one compares the denomination of the species of relapsing fever spirochaetes by different authors. Brumpt (1) describes 14 different species in his extended Parasitology and Stitts (2) 18, but he admits the possibility of synonyms among them. Napier (3) mentions that the application of names of the countries in which the spirochaetes occur implicates the ...

Human louse-borne relapsing fever occurs in sporadic outbreaks in central and eastern Africa that are characterized by significant morbidity and mortality. Isolates of the causative agent, Borrelia recurrentis, were obtained from the blood of four patients during a recent epidemic of the disease in southern Sudan. The glpQ gene, encoding glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase, from these isola...

The hallmark of disease caused by tick- and louse-borne relapsing fever due to Borrelia infection is cyclic febrile episodes, which in humans results in severe malaise and may lead to death. To evaluate the pathogenesis of relapsing fever due to spirochetes in an animal model closely related to humans, disease caused by Borrelia turicatae after tick bite was compared in 2 rhesus macaques in whi...

BACKGROUND Endemic relapsing fever remains under diagnosed in our area according to a low index of suspicion among clinicians, as well as its difficult diagnosis. The goal of this study was to present the epidemiological aspects of the disease in western Iran. METHODS In this analytical-descriptive cross-sectional study, the epidemiological and clinical aspects of relapsing fever were investi...

PHYSICIANS practising in Ireland will be surprised to find Ireland listed as a country subject to yellow fever in a comparatively recent publication. Carlos Finlay, ever to be remembered for his work on yellow fever, died in 1915, and in 1955 his medical school, Jefferson Medical College, held a commemorative conference on yellow fever. Doctor Pedro Nogueira (1955) reviewing the history and geo...

BACKGROUND Relapsing fever spirochetes are global yet neglected pathogens causing recurrent febrile episodes, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pregnancy complications. Given these nonspecific clinical manifestations, improving diagnostic assays for relapsing fever spirochetes will allow for identification of endemic foci and expedite proper treatment. Previously, an antigen designated the Borrelia...

BACKGROUND Relapsing fever borreliae are vector-borne bacteria responsible for febrile infection in humans in North America, Africa, Asia, and in the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. Relapsing fever borreliae are phylogenetically closely related, yet they differ in pathogenicity and vectors. Their long-term taxonomy, based on geography and vector grouping, needs to be re-apprised in a genomic conte...