Coahuila health authorities intensify rickettsia prevention

Health authorities in the central region of Coahuila, Mexico, are intensifying surveillance and medical training following reports of rickettsia cases. While 72 suspected cases have been ruled out in Monclova and Frontera, officials confirmed seven positive cases in the region, resulting in five deaths.

Medical specialists, including an infectious disease consultant from the CDC, have warned that rickettsiosis—a zoonotic disease transmitted by tick bites—can reach a mortality rate exceeding 40% in severe, untreated cases. The northern border region is considered hyperendemic, accounting for 99.4% of the country's deaths from the disease.

To combat the spread, authorities are conducting training sessions for medical personnel, recently involving experts from Texas to assist approximately 150 doctors. Public health officials emphasize that prevention relies heavily on household measures, such as keeping pets clean, checking animals for ticks, and managing waste to eliminate tick habitats.