An epidemic of Oroya fever in the Peruvian Andes

G. C. Gray; A. A. Johnson; S. A. Thornton; W. A. Smith; J. Knobloch; P. W. Kelley; L. Obregon Escudero; M. Arones Huayda; F. S. Wignall

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.1990.42.215

An epidemic of Oroya fever in the Peruvian Andes

G. C. Gray, A. A. Johnson, S. A. Thornton, W. A. Smith, J. Knobloch, P. W. Kelley, L. Obregon Escudero, M. Arones Huayda, F. S. Wignall

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Between February and October 1987, a febrile illness killed 14 persons and seriously affected at least 14 others in Shumpillan, a remote Peruvian mountain village of 353 people. The illness was characterized by fever, headache, chills, and pallor. The fatality rate of untreated cases was 88%. The patients, 71% of whom were male, were 1-75 years of age. Fatal illnesses progressed from lethargy to coma to death in 3-60 days. Patients treated empirically with chloramphenicol survived. Bartonella bacilliformis was isolated from the whole blood of 3 patients. A serologic study revealed a high prevalence of antibodies to B. bacilliformis in the villagers. It is concluded that the villagers suffered from an epidemic of Oroya fever.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	215-221
Number of pages	7
Journal	American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume	42
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1990.42.215
State	Published - 1990
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Infectious Diseases
Virology
Parasitology

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10.4269/ajtmh.1990.42.215

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title = "An epidemic of Oroya fever in the Peruvian Andes",

abstract = "Between February and October 1987, a febrile illness killed 14 persons and seriously affected at least 14 others in Shumpillan, a remote Peruvian mountain village of 353 people. The illness was characterized by fever, headache, chills, and pallor. The fatality rate of untreated cases was 88%. The patients, 71% of whom were male, were 1-75 years of age. Fatal illnesses progressed from lethargy to coma to death in 3-60 days. Patients treated empirically with chloramphenicol survived. Bartonella bacilliformis was isolated from the whole blood of 3 patients. A serologic study revealed a high prevalence of antibodies to B. bacilliformis in the villagers. It is concluded that the villagers suffered from an epidemic of Oroya fever.",

author = "Gray, {G. C.} and Johnson, {A. A.} and Thornton, {S. A.} and Smith, {W. A.} and J. Knobloch and Kelley, {P. W.} and {Obregon Escudero}, L. and {Arones Huayda}, M. and Wignall, {F. S.}",

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T1 - An epidemic of Oroya fever in the Peruvian Andes

AU - Gray, G. C.

AU - Johnson, A. A.

AU - Thornton, S. A.

AU - Smith, W. A.

AU - Knobloch, J.

AU - Kelley, P. W.

AU - Obregon Escudero, L.

AU - Arones Huayda, M.

AU - Wignall, F. S.

PY - 1990

Y1 - 1990

N2 - Between February and October 1987, a febrile illness killed 14 persons and seriously affected at least 14 others in Shumpillan, a remote Peruvian mountain village of 353 people. The illness was characterized by fever, headache, chills, and pallor. The fatality rate of untreated cases was 88%. The patients, 71% of whom were male, were 1-75 years of age. Fatal illnesses progressed from lethargy to coma to death in 3-60 days. Patients treated empirically with chloramphenicol survived. Bartonella bacilliformis was isolated from the whole blood of 3 patients. A serologic study revealed a high prevalence of antibodies to B. bacilliformis in the villagers. It is concluded that the villagers suffered from an epidemic of Oroya fever.

AB - Between February and October 1987, a febrile illness killed 14 persons and seriously affected at least 14 others in Shumpillan, a remote Peruvian mountain village of 353 people. The illness was characterized by fever, headache, chills, and pallor. The fatality rate of untreated cases was 88%. The patients, 71% of whom were male, were 1-75 years of age. Fatal illnesses progressed from lethargy to coma to death in 3-60 days. Patients treated empirically with chloramphenicol survived. Bartonella bacilliformis was isolated from the whole blood of 3 patients. A serologic study revealed a high prevalence of antibodies to B. bacilliformis in the villagers. It is concluded that the villagers suffered from an epidemic of Oroya fever.

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An epidemic of Oroya fever in the Peruvian Andes

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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