AN OUTBREAK OF BARTONELLOSIS IN ZAMORA-CHINCHIPE PROVINCE IN ECUADOR

We report an outbreak of human bartonellosis in Zamora Chinchipe Provi nce in Ecuador, which occurred in 1995-1996. Nineteen cases were seen, of which 18 presented with classical oroya fever (fever and profound anaemia) and one with verruga peruana; 11 of the cases (58%) had posit ive blood films containing Bartonella bacilliformis. The houses of cas es and neighbouring controls were visited; blood samples for thin film s and cultures were collected from members of each house and a questio nnaire was administered to investigate possible risk factors for disea se transmission. In none of those sampled was B. bacilliformis bacteri ologically demonstrable. All case houses were located in isolated area s at the margin of forest and the presence of dead rodents was reporte d only in case houses (P<0.05). We suggest that human bartonellosis is a zoonosis with a natural rodent reservoir and that migrant humans in fected in this way may become a temporary reservoir host in populated areas.