PREVALENCE OF RICKETTSIA SPP. IN HUMANS IN BUON MA THUOT CITY, DAK LAK PROVINCE
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Abstract
Backgrounds: Rickettsia is a group of bacteria that causes emerging diseases in humans in recent years. Rickettsial diseases would be widespread in communities as infected people often have no typical clinical symptoms as the result of unnoticed or misdiagnosed. In Vietnam, information about Rickettsia spp. is scarce and the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. infection in the community is unknown. Objectives: To identify the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. infection in humans in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, in 2020, by PCR method amplifies a spatial gene of the ompB gene. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 156 people over 10 years old. PCR assays targeting a spatial gene of the ompB gene was used to determine the presence of Rickettsia spp. in human blood samples. Results: A total of 156 human blood samples tested by PCR assay showed that the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. infection in humans at study site was 29.5% (95% confidence interval: 22.3% - 36.6%). These factors such as gender, age, occupation, and education level were not associated with the prevalence of Rickettsia spp. infection in humans. Conclusion: The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in humans at Buon Ma Thuot City was high. Further studies on humans and intermediate hosts are needed to determine the true prevalence, identification of Rickettsia species and risk factors of Rickettsia spp. infection.
Keywords
prevalence, Rickettsia spp., humans, Buon Ma Thuot
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