Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease最新文献

{"title":"Effectiveness of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for treating Plasmodium falciparum malaria from sub-Saharan Africa: a retrospective study","authors":"Federica Ciminelli ,&nbsp;Dora Buonfrate ,&nbsp;Cristina Mazzi ,&nbsp;Andreas Neumayr ,&nbsp;Daniel Camprubí-Ferrer ,&nbsp;Federico Gobbi","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102923","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the recommended first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. However, growing reports of artemisinin resistance, particularly in Southeast Asia, raise concerns about the efficacy of ACTs. This study aimed to assess potential changes over time in the effectiveness of a three-day regimen of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) for treating imported uncomplicated <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> malaria.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective observational study was conducted. We reviewed the records of patients treated for uncomplicated <em>P. falciparum</em> malaria in a single centre in Italy (2013–2024). The inclusion criteria were treatment with DHA-PPQ and available data on parasitaemia at baseline and on day three. The primary objective was to determine the rate of parasitaemia clearance on day three.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>All 90 patients but one were infected in sub-Saharan Africa. We excluded the patient infected in Yemen to obtain a more homogenous cohort. Baseline median parasitaemia was 0.136 % (IQR 0.029–0.750). On day 3, only 6 patients (6.7 %) still had circulating parasites, though in absence of early treatment failure. Follow-up data (available for 63 patients) excluded also late parasitological failures. No significant trend in day-3 positivity was observed across the three study periods (2013–2015, 2016–2019, 2020–2023; <em>p</em> = 0.339).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study revealed no significant reduction in the effectiveness of DHA-PPQ over time for the treatment of uncomplicated <em>P. falciparum</em> malaria imported from Africa. While ACT failure remains rare in sub-Saharan Africa, continued surveillance is essential, especially to monitor resistance trends and inform treatment protocols.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102923"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Imported dengue fever in South Korea, 2020–2024: Epidemiological trends and serotype distribution from national laboratory surveillance","authors":"Ye-Ji Lee ,&nbsp;Seung-Rye Cho ,&nbsp;Won Kyong Kim ,&nbsp;Myung Guk Han ,&nbsp;Seon-Young Lee ,&nbsp;So-dam Lee ,&nbsp;Jonghee Kim ,&nbsp;Heui Man Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102939","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102939","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>South Korea remains at risk for dengue virus (DENV) importation, primarily due to the widespread presence of <em>Aedes albopictus</em> and increasing international travel. This study investigated diagnostic trends, serotype distribution, and geographic origins of imported dengue cases in South Korea from 2020 to 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Laboratory-confirmed dengue cases reported from January 2020 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed using data from public institutions and selected private laboratories. Diagnostic confirmation utilized IgM ELISA and RT-PCR. Serotyping of DENV-1–4 was performed in public institutions. Travel history information aided the analysis of temporal and geographic trends. Fisher's exact test was used for statistical evaluation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 551 dengue cases were confirmed, with only one nosocomial infection and no local vector-borne transmission. Public laboratories identified most cases (89.1 %). RT-PCR confirmed 279 (50.6 %) and IgM ELISA 270 (49.0 %) cases. Serotype analysis of 221 cases detected all four DENV serotypes, with DENV-1 and DENV-2 predominant. Most exposures occurred in Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, highlighting key importation sources.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Nationwide public laboratory surveillance is vital for timely detection and characterization of imported dengue. These findings underscore the influence of international travel and the need for sustained vector monitoring, vaccine preparedness where appropriate, and traveler-targeted prevention in non-endemic regions<strong>.</strong></div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102939"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145588907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Loneliness in long-term Taiwanese expatriates and domestic residents in the COVID-19 era: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Hung-Yu Chao ,&nbsp;Che-Jui Chang ,&nbsp;Ting-Ju Lai ,&nbsp;Jaw-Shiun Tsai ,&nbsp;Shao-Yi Cheng ,&nbsp;Jen-Kuei Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background/Aim</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the loneliness in long-term expatriates during the COVID-19 pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective, cross-sectional study distributed an online structured questionnaire through the website and health education events of the New Southbound Health Center, established by Taiwan's CDC. The target population was Taiwanese employees expatriated to Southeast Asian countries and domestic employees, aged 20 years and older. From August 2022 to August 2023, the data of 22 long-term expatriates and 64 domestic employees were included. Outcomes of interest included distress, measured by the Brief Symptom Rating Scale-5 (BSRS-5), and loneliness, measured by the UCLA Three-Item Loneliness Scale (UT-ILS). Other relevant factors examined included demographic data, expatriate status, social factors, psychological factors, and pandemic-related factors. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify predictors and protectors of loneliness and distress.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Loneliness (UT-ILS ≥4) was significantly higher among expatriates (77.3 %) than domestic residents (46.9 %; P = 0.014). Multivariable analysis revealed that higher psychological distress (OR = 1.19, p = 0.001), greater impact of the pandemic (OR = 3.19, p = 0.036), and fewer relatives contacted monthly (OR = 0.82, p = 0.04) predicted loneliness. Additionally, sub-analysis found that higher levels of self-esteem (OR = 5.49, p = 0.003) and less social support (OR = 0.80, p = 0.004) independently predicted psychological distress (BSRS-5 ≥ 6).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Psychological distress, greater impact of the pandemic, and fewer relatives contacted monthly are associated with loneliness in expatriates and residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social support has a protective effect against psychological distress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102928"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145471948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IRIS in a person living with HIV due to disseminated Mycobacterium simiae infection possibly acquired after a remote travel history to Thailand","authors":"Mazin Barry ,&nbsp;Rakan Alotaibi ,&nbsp;Mohammed Bahatheg ,&nbsp;Khalifa Binkhamis","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102935","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102935","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report a case of a man living with HIV with a baseline CD4 count of 7 cells/μl, who initially presented with vision loss due to CMV retinitis and cervical lymphadenopathy. Upon initiating antiretroviral therapy, his lymph node swelling increased, and a biopsy culture grew <em>Mycobacterium simiae.</em> The patient had a remote history of travel to Thailand, where he had frequent close encounters with monkeys. Primates may harbour non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), and zoonotic transmission from monkeys to humans is feasible. Despite antimicrobial therapy, his condition worsened with increased lymph node swelling and abscess formation, which required surgical drainage, and he was determined to have developed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Corticosteroid therapy was started, which showed a quick clinical response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102935"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145463115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Successful resolution of dengue-associated retinopathy following intravitreal Anti-VEGF therapy","authors":"Yu-Chieh Chang ,&nbsp;Yu-Ting Hsiao ,&nbsp;Hsi-Kung Kuo ,&nbsp;Hsiu-Mei Huang ,&nbsp;Jong-Jer Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dengue fever (DF) is primarily recognized for its systemic manifestations; however, ocular involvement remains uncommon and is often overlooked. Dengue-associated retinopathy, a rare manifestation with poorly understood pathophysiological mechanisms, presents both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Although most patients recover spontaneously, some experience persistent visual impairment. We report a case of dengue-associated retinopathy with ischemic macular edema that progressed over 2 months following a diagnosis of DF. Owing to its ischemic nature and the patient's relative contraindications to intravitreal and systemic corticosteroids, intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy was administered, leading to the resolution of macular edema and improvement in visual function. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case demonstrating successful resolution of dengue-associated retinopathy with intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy. These findings suggest that anti-VEGF therapy may serve as an alternative treatment option for dengue-related ocular complications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102929"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145477044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into barriers and adherence to pre-travel advice among West African travelers in Spain: A prospective mixed-methods evaluation","authors":"Nerea Castillo-Fernández ,&nbsp;Manuel Jesús Soriano-Pérez ,&nbsp;Ana B. Lozano-Serrano ,&nbsp;José Vázquez-Villegas ,&nbsp;Begoña del Moral-Hernández ,&nbsp;María del Mar Lozano-Martínez ,&nbsp;Silvia Milán-Gutiérrez ,&nbsp;María Isabel Gálvez-Cano ,&nbsp;Martina Lucía Fernández-López ,&nbsp;Jaime Zevallos-Delgado ,&nbsp;María Pilar Luzón-García ,&nbsp;María Isabel Cabeza-Barrera ,&nbsp;Jaime Borrego-Jiménez ,&nbsp;Pablo Pumares-Fernández ,&nbsp;Joaquín Salas-Coronas","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102932","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102932","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Understanding barriers to seeking and following pre-travel advice in Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) travelers might enhance preventive behaviors before and during travel.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A mixed-method research with an explanatory sequential design among West African VFR travelers was conducted between 2019 and 2022 in an area with a high number of immigrants. Firstly, all travelers were advised to seek pre-travel advice and prospectively followed after the trip. Secondly, focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to explain results in more depth. Finally, quantitative and qualitative data were integrated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Eighty-eight travelers, mostly men (92 %), were prospectively followed. Main countries of origin were Mali (29.5 %) and Senegal (29.5 %). Fifty-three percent of travelers did not seek pre-travel advice at the vaccination center. Only 29.5 % took malaria chemoprophylaxis properly. Travelers visiting their home country for the first time, among others, were more likely to attend pre-travel advice (p &lt; 0.005). No differences in risk activities and preventive measures were found between those who sought pre-travel advice and those who did not. Upon returning, 25 travelers (28.7 %) presented with some infectious diseases such as malaria (n = 10; 11.4 %). In the qualitative phase, most VFR travelers did not perceive returning home as a health risk and deemed pre-travel advice unnecessary and culturally inappropriate. Social and family pressure were significant barriers to follow preventive measures, perceiving them as an act of rejection towards their community.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Redesigning pre-travel counseling programs from a holistic approach is needed to improve communication and overcome barriers and cultural gaps. Community health workers, facilitated appointments and interventions through primary care may be helpful.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102932"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145477029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review of contact tracing interventions for international arrivals by air, sea, or land","authors":"Rosalie Allison ,&nbsp;Anjali Pai ,&nbsp;Bharat Sibal ,&nbsp;Robert Sookoo ,&nbsp;Sarah R. Anderson","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>As part of the public health response, one role of health protection specialists is to identify contacts of people who have travelled whilst infectious, and provide advice or other public health actions.</div><div>This paper aims to review the latest evidence for contact tracing of specific infectious diseases on incoming international travel by air, sea, or land. Twenty key gastrointestinal, respiratory, rash, and high consequence infectious diseases were included in this systematic review.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Electronic databases were systematically searched for studies published between 2008 and 2023, that focused on people arriving from international destinations with an infectious disease, and their contacts. Results were exported to Endnote; duplicates removed; eligible studies identified and critically appraised by two independent reviewers; and data extracted. Due to heterogeneity across studies, results were presented narratively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There was some evidence for contact tracing to reduce community transmission for international arrivals by aircrafts, but less rigorous evidence for those arriving by sea-vessels, and even less for ground crossings.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Informed by this systematic review, public health agencies should consider developing or reviewing their national disease-specific guidance, ensuring guidance for all key modes of international transport is included. Higher quality studies are required to inform the effectiveness of contact tracing for preventing further transmission related to international travel. Strategic efforts should continue to concentrate on improving the relationship between public health organisations and transport providers to facilitate timely public health actions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102924"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145287126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Travel Healthy, a mobile app for participatory surveillance among U.S. international travelers","authors":"Andrés Colubri ,&nbsp;Nicole Willing ,&nbsp;Andonaq Grozdani ,&nbsp;Yinan Dong ,&nbsp;Hung Hong ,&nbsp;Mansi Khandpekar ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Oliver ,&nbsp;Julie Thwing ,&nbsp;Edward T. Ryan ,&nbsp;Regina C. LaRocque","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102922","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102922","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Global travel plays a role in the spread of infectious diseases. Existing travel surveillance programs collect data before and after trips, resulting in data incompleteness and recall bias. We developed the Travel Healthy mobile app to address these gaps, by enabling U.S. travelers to report daily symptom surveys including GPS location. The app offers traveler tools, including outbreak notices, a travel wallet, and a malaria medication reminder.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We developed Travel Healthy following a user-centric approach. We recruited study participants through an online platform and at the Travelers’ Advice and Immunization Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, between July 2023 and August 2024. We analyzed demographic, GPS, and self-reported symptom data from the first 50 participants. Data were collected starting one day before the trip and ending three days after. A post-travel feedback survey was performed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participants visited 204 locations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Mean age was 33 years and 66 % were female. The most common purposes of travel were leisure and/or business, with 46 (92 %) of participants listing these as traveling reasons. A total of 755 daily symptom surveys were entered, with 105 reporting symptoms, corresponding to 29 of the 50 (58 %) participants. Among all symptoms with GPS data, 58 % were upper respiratory symptoms, 25 % were gastrointestinal (clustered in South Asia), and 17 % were other. Post-travel questionnaires showed that participants found the application easy to use.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This pilot study underscores the potential of participatory surveillance tools to complement traditional public health surveillance methods for travel-related illness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102922"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145286934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection of circulating mosquito-borne arboviruses in Brazil using travellers as sentinels","authors":"Laura Vavassori ,&nbsp;Silvan Hälg ,&nbsp;Nadja Hedrich ,&nbsp;Duschinka Guedes ,&nbsp;Marcelo S. Paiva ,&nbsp;Christian Beuret ,&nbsp;Ulf Blanke ,&nbsp;Andreas Neumayr ,&nbsp;Pie Müller","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102936","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102936","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Travellers visiting countries endemic for arboviral diseases may introduce arboviruses to new areas where competent vectors are already present, potentially leading to disease outbreaks in populations that have not previously been exposed. To assess exposure risks for travellers and identify which arboviruses they might import, we explored the use of international travellers to collect mosquito saliva samples at their travel destinations to map locally circulating arboviruses. We recruited 73 travellers from Switzerland visiting Brazil between August 2018 and June 2019 and provided each of them with five kits to collect viral RNA on Flinders Technology Association cards. We have chosen Brazil as a study area for a proof of concept for reasons of convenience, as this is a popular travel destination. We asked the travellers to place the kits at their destinations and use a smartphone app to track their locations. We received 155 kits back and screened the cards for arboviral RNA using reverse transcriptase PCR with consecutive sequencing of amplicons from positive samples. Due to RNA degradation during an extended storage period, 129 cards produced no positive signal. In contrast, among 26 cards that could be processed shortly after receipt, seven were positive for dengue virus serotype 4 and three for West Nile virus lineage 2 (WNV-2). To our knowledge, this is the first time WNV-2 has been reported from Brazil. Our ‘citizen science’ approach has the potential to contribute to arbovirus surveillance, extending the geographic range of sampling – particularly in regions lacking an arbovirus surveillance programme.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102936"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145530843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Probable scrub typhus-like infection in Colombia: seroconversion and serological reactivity to Orientia spp. among patients with acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Villeta municipality","authors":"Carlos Ramiro Silva-Ramos ,&nbsp;Nicole L. Mendell ,&nbsp;Patricia A. Crocquet-Valdes ,&nbsp;Peter C. Melby ,&nbsp;Patricia V. Aguilar ,&nbsp;Miguel M. Cabada ,&nbsp;Marylin Hidalgo ,&nbsp;David H. Walker","doi":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102937","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102937","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Scrub typhus, caused by <em>Orientia</em> spp., is a mite-borne disease historically restricted to the Asia-Pacific region. Autochthonous cases have been confirmed in southern Chile, while serological evidence has been reported in Peru, Honduras and Colombia, suggesting wider distribution in Latin America. Identifying recent exposure among febrile patients is essential to evaluate its role in acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) etiology.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To assess the possible implication of <em>Orientia</em> infection as a cause of AUFI in Villeta, Colombia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Between September and December 2021, patients with AUFI were recruited. Whole-blood samples were tested for <em>Orientia</em> DNA by real-time PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Acute and convalescent serum samples were analyzed for IgG antibodies by IFA and ELISA, with paired samples titration to assess seroconversion. Reactive sera were further confirmed by Western blot.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Forty-one acute whole-blood samples were tested by qPCR; no <em>Orientia</em> DNA was detected. Serology identified antibodies in 27 % (11/41) of patients: six positive by ELISA, two by IFA, and three by both methods. Based on paired sera, eight cases (20 %) were classified as recent infections, including cases of seroconversion, and three (7 %) as previous exposures. Western blot confirmed specific reactivity against <em>Orientia</em> antigens in all positive samples.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides serological evidence of <em>Orientia</em> circulation among febrile patients in Villeta, Colombia, including clear cases of seroconversion. Western blot validated reactivity against immunodominant proteins. Findings suggest a local scrub typhus–like illness and highlight the need for pathogen isolation and genetic characterization to clarify its contribution to AUFI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23312,"journal":{"name":"Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 102937"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145517081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}