The diagnostics and treatment of tropical diseasesStitt, E. R. (Edward Rhodes)
Science
The diagnostics and treatment of tropical diseases
Stitt, E. R. (Edward Rhodes)
Tropical medicine
As a large proportion of the prostitutes of Malta showed infection
and as _M. melitensis_ was found in urine and vaginal discharges
of many of these it is possible that sexual intercourse may be a
factor in transmission.
The Commission noted many cases of Malta fever among the goatherds.
By agglutination tests it was found that one-half of the goats
showed agglutinins in their serum. Of 28 monkeys given infected milk
26 became infected. Very conclusive was the case of the “Joshua
Nicholson,” which ship carried 65 Maltese goats from Malta to the
United States. Of ten of the crew who drank goats’ milk on the
voyage, eight became infected. Two who boiled the milk escaped
infection. It is reported, that when the goats reached the United
States and were quarantined, a woman drank of their milk and became
infected.
What may be deemed proof positive is the practical disappearance of
the disease among the naval and military forces of Malta, as the
result of boiling the milk, while still continuing among native
civilians. Bassett-Smith has noted that in 1905 there were 798 cases
among civilians and 245 naval cases. In 1907 there were 457 cases
among civilians and only 12 cases in the naval forces.
There are however occasional cases which Shaw has considered as due
to carriers. As the organisms are excreted in faeces as well as in
urine, and as the course of the disease is so protracted, as well
as the convalescence, it would seem that the carrier factor should
be of more importance than facts would justify.
Mohler has noted that in Texas, where the disease has existed for
twenty-five years, the Mexican goatherds boiled their milk and hence
were rarely infected.
Gentry and Ferenbaugh, in Texas, noted that cases of Malta fever were
most common in the spring and early summer months when the goats were
in full milk and the ranchmen were caring for the kids and teaching
them to suckle. The disease in certain areas was called “goat fever”
and in others “dust fever,” this latter name coming from the idea
that the dust-filled goat pens had to do with the disease.
The souring of milk does not destroy the germs of the disease,
hence transmission may be brought about by butter and cheese.
Malta fever was stamped out of Port Said by destroying all infected
goats.
Infection may occur: (1) By the stomach atrium (usual); (2)
contaminated dust reaching lungs; (3) by subcutaneous injection.
PATHOLOGY AND MORBID ANATOMY
The germs are found early in the blood and spleen; and are also
present in lymphatic glands and kidneys.
The blood is most apt to contain them at the height of the fever
curve and a striking feature is the appearance in waves of the
organisms in blood, urine or milk. While serum immunity reactions are
striking features, there is some question as to the conference of
immunity by an attack.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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