{"doi":"10.1093/ofid/ofae664","title":"Risk Factors for Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania","abstract":"Abstract Background Knowledge gaps exist on risk factors for spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR) in sub-Saharan Africa. We sought to identify SFGR risk factors in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Methods We recruited febrile patients presenting at 2 hospitals in Moshi from February 2012 through May 2014. Standardized clinical and risk factor questionnaires were administered. SFGR exposure was defined as a Rickettsia africae immunofluorescence antibody reciprocal titer ≥64, and acute SFGR as a ≥4-fold rise between paired sera. Logistic regression was used to identify associations. Results Of 1190 participants providing ≥1 serum sample, the median age was 21.8 (range, 0.3–100.2) years, 646 (54.3%) were female, and 650 (54.6%) had SFGR exposure. Of 731 participants with paired sera, 67 (9.2%) had acute SFGR. On multivariable analysis, odds of acute SFGR were higher in the age group 0–2 years (adjusted odds ratios [aORs] for older age groups, <0.36; P < .011), rural residence (aOR, 4.1; P = .007), and areas with maximum daily temperature <26°C (aORs for higher temperature groups, <0.42; P < .035). Odds of SFGR exposure were higher in those working in the garden (aOR, 1.8; P = .010) and seeing a dog (aOR, 1.5; P = .010). Odds of SFGR exposure were lower in the age group 0–2 years (aORs for older age groups, >1.5; P < .026), female sex (aOR, 0.62; P < .001), and being from the Chaga tribe (aOR, 0.68; P = .003). Conclusions Those aged <2 years, rural residents, and persons residing in areas with cooler temperatures had increased odds of SFGR. Our results identify groups for further research on tick exposure and for targeted prevention interventions.","journal":"Open Forum Infectious Diseases","year":2024,"id":461616,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":3,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9579,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2024-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":345416,"name":"Matthew P. Rubach","orcid":"0000-0001-5262-1421","position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1290536,"name":"Ângelo Mendes","orcid":"0000-0003-1996-7134","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":675627,"name":"William L. Nicholson","orcid":"0000-0002-2215-6837","position":3,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":675628,"name":"Jamie L. Perniciaro","orcid":"0000-0002-7613-8984","position":4,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":372158,"name":"Michael J. Maze","orcid":"0000-0001-8909-1508","position":5,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":709065,"name":"Ganga S. Moorthy","orcid":"0000-0003-3191-1117","position":6,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":345422,"name":"Jo E. B. Halliday","orcid":"0000-0002-1329-9035","position":7,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":495855,"name":"Kathryn J. Allan","orcid":"0000-0001-6612-889X","position":8,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":341832,"name":"Blandina T. Mmbaga","orcid":"0000-0002-5550-1916","position":9,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":496728,"name":"Wilbrod Saganda","orcid":null,"position":10,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":495858,"name":"Bingileki F. Lwezaula","orcid":"0000-0003-2909-9705","position":11,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":345413,"name":"Rudovick Kazwala","orcid":"0000-0003-3918-1323","position":12,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":495857,"name":"Sarah Cleaveland","orcid":"0000-0002-0456-0959","position":13,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":519624,"name":"Katrina Sharples","orcid":"0000-0003-3821-789X","position":14,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":345414,"name":"Venance P. Maro","orcid":"0000-0003-3838-0312","position":15,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":22443,"name":"John A. Crump","orcid":"0000-0002-4529-102X","position":16,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1282643,"name":"Thomas R. Bowhay","orcid":"0000-0001-9148-4837","position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":40,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-07-19T02:04:16.410510Z","pmid":"39691286","pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}