[West African tick-borne relapsing fever, a neglected disease of major public health importance in Senegal].

INTRODUCTION

Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonotic disease caused by various species of Borrelia that are transmitted to humans worldwide through the bite of soft ticks belonging to the genus Ornithodoros. In Senegal, as in other endemic regions of West Africa, cases of TBRF caused by B. crocidurae and transmitted by Ornithodoros sonrai ticks are underdiagnosed. The disease is not well known among doctors, nurses, or the general population. In some regions, TBRF is the leading cause of vector-borne fever, surpassing malaria.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This narrative and systematic review reports on the entomological, mammalogical, epidemiological, and clinical aspects of TBRF in Senegal. Small wild mammals, the main reservoir hosts of B. crocidurae, have been identified and mapped, along with the known distribution of the tick vectors. Conventional diagnostic methods, such as visualization of spirochetes on thick blood smears and/or blood smears, as well as modern molecular biology methods and antibiotic treatment, are described.

CONCLUSION

The strategy for preventing and controlling TBRF in Senegal involves improving living conditions, filling in burrows, and trapping small mammals in human dwellings. Health authorities in endemic regions need to better disseminate these methods through awareness campaigns.