The Hortolândia Department of Health confirmed this Tuesday, the 13th, that a 28-year-old resident of the city in the interior of São Paulo died of suspected spotted fever, after going to the same event attended by dentist Mariana Giordano, 36, and her boyfriend, pilot Marcelo Costa, 42. In Mariana’s case, the Adolfo Lutz Institute has already confirmed that death was caused by the disease.
The three deaths took place on the 8th of this month. The three victims were at an event at Fazenda Santa Margarida, in the District of Joaquim Egídio, in the eastern region of Campinas, the likely site of the infection.
According to the Campinas Municipal Health Department, the exams of the woman who died in Hortolândia have already been sent to Adolfo Lutz. The report of the pilot samples has not yet been ready. The cases were suspected of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, dengue or leptospirosis. There is still a fourth suspected case of spotted fever in Jundiaí, but there is no information on whether the person was at the same event.
The City Hall of Campinas informed that, after being notified of the cases, this Monday, the 12th, the Department of Health Surveillance triggered prevention, information and mobilization actions against spotted fever at Santa Margarida Farm, venue of the event. The District of Joaquim Egídio is mapped as a risk area for the disease.
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“Those responsible for the farm were notified about the importance of signaling regarding the risk of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. This information is essential for the person to adopt safe behaviors when attending these spaces and also so that, after attending, if they show signs and symptoms, they can inform the doctor and facilitate the diagnosis”, he informed. Also according to the municipality, in the next few days, technicians from Devisa will carry out a survey to check how the infestation of ticks is in the space.
According to the director of Devisa, Andrea von Zuben, the main symptom of the disease is high fever, which can be confused with other illnesses. “Therefore, it is important that the doctor always asks or that the patient reports that he has been in a vegetation area with the presence of ticks or capybaras. With that background, treatment should be started immediately,” she said.
Campinas and region are endemic areas (vector distribution area) for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. This year, with the case of the dentist, the municipality has three deaths confirmed by the disease. Two of the victims lived in the city. The dentist resided in the capital of São Paulo.
