Authors: Tom G. Schwan, Jennifer M. Anderson, Job E. Lopez, Robert J. Fischer, Sandra J. Raffel, Brandi N. McCoy, David Safronetz, Nafomon Sogoba, Ousmane Maïga, Sékou F. Traoré
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001924
Abstract Summary
Researchers found endemic foci of tick-borne relapsing fever across southern Mali, with 11% of rodents and 14% of shrews showing antibodies to Borrelia crocidurae spirochetes. In Bandiagara region, 35% of animals were seropositive and 17% of Ornithodoros ticks carried the pathogen. These findings reveal significant human infection risk in areas where malaria is common and clinical confusion between diseases likely.
Why Brain? 🧠
Study identifies widespread tick-borne relapsing fever risk across Mali, where infection is often misdiagnosed as malaria. High rates of infected rodents and ticks found, especially in Bandiagara region.
License: CC0 (Public Domain).
The image is AI-generated for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of Midjourney.
