Resumen

MOSTORINO E, Rosa, ANAYA R, Elizabeth, MENDOZA U, Leonardo et al. Identificación de una nueva área de infección por Rickettsias del grupo typhi: estudio de un brote de tifus en Huánuco . Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica, ene./mar. 2003, vol.20, no.1, p.15-21. ISSN 1726-4634.

Objectives: To assess an outbreak of febrile syndrome in Punchao district through a clinical, laboratorial and entomological evaluation and to find out the factors associated to the occurrence of such outbreak. Materials and methods: Due to the report of three patients from Punchao, Huamalíes (Huanuco) presenting with fever associated to headache, myalgia and postration, on the 41st epidemiological week 2000; and because of an inusual presentation of feverish patients in the last week in such site; we decided to investigate the nature and characteristics of the outbreak. We define as case every patient with a time of illness less than 15 days with fever and one of these symptoms: headache, myalgias and postration and we started actively to look for these cases and to assess the presence of anti-Rickettsias antibodies in serum using IFI. We captured rodents and collected ectoparasites in houses (in rodents, domestic animals and humans), with the purpose of identifying Rickettsias using IFI, isolation and/or PCR. Results: We could not isolate the causal agent. The circulation of Rickettsia (positive serology) in humans (cases and no cases) and in rodents was confirmed. A greater presence of bad habits of cleanliness and inadequate conditions of basic sanitation in cases (in relation to no cases) and a decrease in the number of cases after the beginning of control measures, was evident. Conclusions: The evidences found allowed the identification of a typhus outbreak in Punchao; however, the determination of the involucrated species was not possible because the causal agent was not isolated.

Palabras llave: Typhus / epidemiology; Disease outbreaks; Perú.