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The Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Spotted Fever Group and Typhus Group Rickettsia Along the Texas–Mexico Border
Frederick M. Cramer
Frederick M. Cramer
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas;
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Lauren M. Leining
Lauren M. Leining
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas;
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Timothy A. Erickson
Timothy A. Erickson
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas;
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Josephine Tolan
Josephine Tolan
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas;
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Craig L. Hanis
Craig L. Hanis
Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
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Eric L. Brown
Eric L. Brown
Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
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Sarah M. Gunter
sarah.gunter@bcm.edu
Sarah M. Gunter
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas;
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Rickettsial pathogens are an endemic and emergent source of disease in Texas, with a historically high rate of transmission along the United States–Mexico border. To better understand the prevalence and risk factors for spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) and typhus group Rickettsia (TGR) along the Texas–Mexico border, we conducted a seroprevalence study of adults residing in Starr County, Texas (N = 616). Plasma samples were screened for IgG reactivity to SFGR and TGR using commercially available ELISA. ELISA-positive samples were confirmed using a dual spot IgG indirect immunofluorescent assay. Seropositivity was defined as having a ≥1:128 titer. Analysis was conducted to assess risk factors associated with seropositivity. A higher seroprevalence of TGR (10.9%) was identified compared with SFGR (4.6%) and Rickettsia unspecified (2.0%). These findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that both SFGR and TGR are endemic along the Texas–Mexico border.
Author Notes
Financial support: This project was supported by a grant from the
Authors’ contributions: S. M. Gunter and E. L. Brown provided concept and design; F. M. Cramer, L. M. Leining, and S. M. Gunter wrote manuscript; F. M. Cramer, L. M. Leining, J. Tolan, and S. M. Gunter analyzed and interpreted data; and all authors collected and assembled data, and gave final approval of manuscript.
Current contact information: Frederick M. Cramer, Craig L. Hanis, and Eric L. Brown, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, E-mails: mckae14@yahoo.com, craig.l.hanis@uth.tmc.edu, and eric.l.brown@uth.tmc.edu. Lauren M. Leining, University of Texas Health Science Center, Austin, TX, E-mail: lauren.m.leining@uth.tmc.edu. Timothy A. Erickson, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, E-mail: timerickson@tamu.edu. Josephine Tolan, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, El Paso, TX, E-mail: jcetha@gmail.com. Sarah M. Gunter, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, E-mail: sm22@bcm.edu.
| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
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| Abstract Views | 121 | 121 | 121 |
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