Brazil has 49 cases of spotted fever in 2023, six deaths

Brazil has recorded 49 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever this year, as per figures from the Ministry of Health updated Tuesday (Jun. 13). Of these, six were fatal.

The Southeast is the Brazilian region with most registered cases: 25—eight in Espírito Santo state, seven in São Paulo, six in Rio de Janeiro, and four in Minas Gerais.

In 2022, 190 cases of the disease were reported across Brazil. The death toll stood at 70.

Campinas

In a statement, the ministry declared it has been monitoring the deaths of three people with suspected spotted fever in Campinas, São Paulo. One of the victims had the bacteria confirmed as the cause. The two others are still under analysis.

“The city of Campinas is an endemic area, with the seasonal period for the disease in the country going from May to September,” the statement reads.

Actions

The Ministry of Health says it has distributed to the states the specific antibiotics indicated for the treatment, and promoted training programs on regional surveillance. In addition, the health officials say they have published technical guidelines and conduct recommendations for the clinical care of patients with suspicion of the disease and for environmental surveillance, in addition to educational materials for prevention.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, according to the Ministry of Health, is an infectious disease that presents mild clinical forms as well as severe ones, with a high lethality rate. The disease is caused by Rickettsia bacteria transmitted by the bite of an infected tick.

The official recommendation in case of symptoms such as fever, body pain, and reddish spots on the skin is to seek the basic health care station.