rifampin and Boutonneuse-Fever

The author reviews the recent advances in the treatment of Mediterranean Spotted Fever and Q fever. In mediterranean spotted fever (M.S.F.), in vitro and preliminary in vivo data support the place of quinolones and josamycin in the treatment of M.S.F. In children josamycin could become the first choice drug as well as in pregnant woman. In Q fever chronic disease should be treated using a combination of antibiotic (doxycycline + quinolones) for a minimum of 3 years.

Topics: 4-Quinolones; Anti-Infective Agents; Boutonneuse Fever; Chronic Disease; Coxiella; Doxycycline; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Josamycin; Q Fever; Recurrence; Rickettsia Infections; Rifampin

Topics: Adult; Boutonneuse Fever; Doxycycline; Humans; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Rifampin

To ascertain regularities of development of cellular immunity in patients with Astrakhan fever (AF) with reference to AF severity, treatment and course.. Cellular factors of immunity--relative and absolute contents of T-lymphocytes (early and late), T-helpers and T-suppressors, B-lymphocytes, neutrophils (early and late)--were studied in 75 patients with AF (63 patients with moderate and 12 patients with severe disease) in the course of the disease progression (weeks 1-5). The patients received antibacterial treatment--doxicyclin, rifampicin and doxicycline in combination with alpha 2-realdiron and gamma-reaferon.. Examination of immunocompetent cells has revealed suppression of T- and B-immunity for 2 weeks in moderate AF and 3 weeks in severe AF. The number of T-helpers was low for 3 weeks while of T-suppressors rose beginning from week 2. Immunoregulatory index Tx/Tc remains low till the end of the disease. The number of early and late neutrophils increased since weeks 2 of the disease in moderate and week 3 in severe AF.. Doxicycline efficiency was higher than that of rifampicin. Interferon preparations decrease relative number of early and late T-lymphocytes, neutrocytes and T-helpers but their absolute number is at the control level. Relative content of T-suppressors and B-lymphocytes is as in controls but their absolute content is higher.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; B-Lymphocytes; Boutonneuse Fever; Doxycycline; Humans; Interferon alpha-2; Interferon Type I; Interferon-alpha; Middle Aged; Recombinant Proteins; Rifampin; T-Lymphocytes

Mediterranean spotted fever has rarely been reported in pregnancy. We report a case occurring in a young pregnant woman, which responded well to treatment with a combination of erythromycin and rifampicin. The treatment of spotted fevers in pregnancy is discussed in detail.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Boutonneuse Fever; Drug Therapy, Combination; Erythromycin; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Rickettsia conorii; Rifampin; Treatment Outcome

Eighty-nine Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks and 21 Rhipicephalus bursa ticks collected in Catalonia were tested by the hemolymph test to establish their infection rate with spotted fever group rickettsiae. By Giménez staining, 11.2% of the R. sanguineus isolates and 0% of the R. bursa isolates were found to contain rickettsia-like organisms. Six spotted fever group rickettsial strains (Bar29, Bar31, Gir4, Tar1, Tar2, and Tar3) were isolated from these ticks and were characterized by phenotypic and genotypic analyses. PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis showed that the six strains were identical and were characterized by the same restriction profiles as a strain, Mtu5, previously isolated from Rhipicephalus turanicus ticks in the South of France. Microimmunofluorescence serotyping, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified organisms, and Western blot (immunoblot) assay with mouse polyclonal sera confirmed this observation. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis of the whole genome of three of the strains showed that, although closely related, the profile of Tar1 was slightly different from that of the Bar strains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this new rickettsial sero- and genotype, which will be named the "Catalan strain," is closely related to Rickettsia massiliae. This strain shows an unexpected resistance to rifampin. The epidemiological implications of these findings are considered.

Topics: Animals; Bacteriological Techniques; Boutonneuse Fever; Dogs; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Female; Genotype; Humans; Male; Mice; Phenotype; Rickettsia; Rifampin; Spain; Ticks; Virulence

Twenty nine patients with Rickettsiosis (Tick born fever, n: 22, Q fever, n: 7) has been treated with fluoroquinolones. These compounds was used alone n: 25 (Pefloxacin, n: 15; Ofloxacin, n: 10) or associated n: 4 (Pefloxacin + Rifampin). The general efficacy was excellent. Common Tick born fever and pulmonary forms of Q fever was fast cured. Severe Tick born fever (neurologic or polyvisceral forms, n: 5) and Q fever with long term hyperthermia, n: 4 cas always cured without complications but the time necessary to obtain apyrexia was often longer (6 cases).

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Aged; Anti-Infective Agents; Boutonneuse Fever; Drug Evaluation; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Middle Aged; Norfloxacin; Ofloxacin; Oxazines; Pefloxacin; Pregnancy; Q Fever; Rifampin