Carrión disease

Carrión disease is an infection caused by Bartonella bacilliformis, a bacterium transmitted to humans through the bite of infected sandflies. This condition presents in two distinct phases: the acute phase (Oroya fever) and the chronic phase (verruga peruana or Peruvian wart).

Phases and Symptoms

Acute Phase: Oroya Fever The acute phase is characterized by:

• Fever.
• Headache.
• Myalgia (muscle pain).
• Enlargement of the lymph nodes.
• Anemia due to the destruction of red blood cells.

Chronic Phase: Verruga Peruana (Peruvian Wart) The chronic phase is characterized by:

• Benign, eruptive skin lesions that may bleed and are pruritic (itchy).
• Arthralgia (joint pain).
• Malaise (general discomfort or fatigue).

Transmission

The disease is caused by the bacterium Bartonella bacilliformis, which is transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, specifically those belonging to the genus Lutzomyia. This vector is commonly found in certain endemic regions, particularly in South America.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves:

• Clinical evaluation of symptoms.
• Laboratory tests, including blood smears and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Bartonella bacilliformis.
• Histopathology of skin lesions in the chronic phase.

Treatment

Treatment of Carrión disease depends on the phase:

• In the acute phase, antibiotics such as chloramphenicol or ciprofloxacin are used to treat the infection and manage anemia.
• In the chronic phase, antibiotics such as azithromycin or rifampin may be effective in resolving skin lesions.

Prevention

Preventive measures include:

• Controlling the population of sandflies in endemic areas.
• Using insect repellents and protective clothing to reduce exposure to sandfly bites.

See Also

• Bartonellosis
• Vector-borne diseases
• South American diseases

NIH genetic and rare disease info

• NIH info on Carrión disease

Carrión disease is a rare disease.