The presence of Tularemia infection in patients with Japanese spotted fever.
J Dermatol
; 48(8): 1277-1280, 2021 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33950539
In our previous study, by measuring serum cytokine levels in the acute and recovery stage of Japanese spotted fever (JSF), IFN-ɤ and IL-6 were proved to be the critical immunological cytokines against Rickettsia japonica (R. japonica) infection. Tularemia is an infectious disorder caused by tick biting or contact with infected animals, and is also known as rabbit fever. There have been no confirmed cases in the recent two decades in Japan. We measured serum anti Francisella tularensis (F. tularensis) IgG titer using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit in the acute and recovery stage of three patients with JSF. The result of the IgG titer was compared with the cytokine concentrations of IFN-ɤ, IL-6, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-33, eosinophil count, and CRP quoted from our previous report. Two of three cases have anti F. tularensis IgG, and the IgG levels between acute and recovery stage were unchanged. These two cases showed low IFN-ɤ concentration and CRP, but IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-33 levels and eosinophils were high compared to those in the F. tularensis IgG-negative patient. IL-6 concentration was unchanged between the three patients. Residents living in the endemic area of JSF in Mie prefecture, Japan, may have antibodies against F. tularensis, although tularemia has never been reported. The cases of having the F. tularensis antibody showed a mild inflammatory response of JSF and might skew to type 2 immunological condition even in the acute phase of JSF.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Rickettsia
/
Tularemia
/
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
J Dermatol
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Japan
Country of publication:
United kingdom