Detecting spirochetes remains challenging in cases of African tick-borne relapsing fever. Using real-time PCR specific for the 16S rRNA Borrelia gene, we found 27 (13%) of 206 samples from febrile patients in rural Senegal to be positive, whereas thick blood smear examinations conducted at dispensaries identified only 4 (2%) as positive.

8. World Health Organization. Avian infl uenza: assessing the pandemic threat. January 2005 [cited 2007 Nov 20] Available from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/infl uenza/ H5N1-9reduit.pdf 9. Leung GM, Rainer TH, Lau FL, Wong IO, Tong A, Wong TW, et al. A clinical prediction rule for diagnosing severe acute respiratory syndrome in the emergency department. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141:333–42. Epub 20...

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