Louse-borne relapsing fever (Borrelia recurrentis) in asylum seekers from Eritrea, the Netherlands, July 2015

K R Wilting; Y Stienstra; B Sinha; M Braks; D Cornish; H Grundmann

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES2015.20.30.21196

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Louse-borne relapsing fever (Borrelia recurrentis) in asylum seekers from Eritrea, the Netherlands, July 2015
K R Wilting¹ , Y Stienstra² , B Sinha¹ , M Braks³ , D Cornish⁴ , H Grundmann¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands ² Department of Internal Medicine & Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands ³ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands ⁴ National Reception Center for Asylum Seekers (Gezondheidscentrum Asielzoekers), Ter Apel, the Netherlands

Correspondence:
K Wilting
k.r.wilting umcg.nl
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Citation style for this article: Wilting K R, Stienstra Y, Sinha B, Braks M, Cornish D, Grundmann H. Louse-borne relapsing fever (Borrelia recurrentis) in asylum seekers from Eritrea, the Netherlands, July 2015. Euro Surveill. 2015;20(30):pii=21196. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES2015.20.30.21196 Received: 22 Jul 2015

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Abstract

Two patients from Eritrea, recently arrived in the Netherlands, presented with fever and were investigated for malaria. Bloodfilms showed spirochetes but no blood parasites. Louse-borne relapsing fever caused by Borrelia recurrentis was diagnosed. Treatment was complicated by severe Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions in both patients. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of B. recurrentis infection in migrant populations who travel under crowded conditions, especially after passing through endemic areas such as Ethiopia and neighbouring countries. .