Characteristics of louse-borne relapsing fever in Ethiopian children and adults

Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2004 Mar;98(2):191-6. doi: 10.1179/000349804225003136.

Abstract

Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) is endemic in Ethiopia. The epidemiological and clinical aspects of LBRF and the differences between the infection in children and that in adults were investigated in a rural hospital in Ethiopia. During the 5-year study (1997-2002), 197 patients had a confirmed diagnosis of LBRF. Most (62.1%) of the cases were children under 15 years of age. The adult cases (i.e. those aged > or =15 years) were far more likely to present with headache (76.9% v. 40%; P <0.001), musculo-skeletal pains (61.5% v. 30.5%; P <0.001), dizziness (64% v. 39%; P =0.002) and bleeding (16.9% v. 3.8%; P =0.005) than the paediatric. The overall level of case fatality was 6.4%. Death appeared to be significantly associated with adulthood (P =0.01), delay in consultation (P =0.026) and the presence of vomiting (P =0.023). LBRF is clearly still a public-health problem in Ethiopia, where the clinical manifestations of the disease differ according to the age of the case.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Endemic Diseases*
  • Ethiopia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Hemorrhage / complications
  • Hemorrhage / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Malaria / complications
  • Malaria / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Relapsing Fever / complications
  • Relapsing Fever / epidemiology*
  • Relapsing Fever / mortality
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents