SynthesisThe Lancet. Digital health2023
Mapping the global distribution of spotted fever group rickettsiae: a systematic review with modelling analysis.
Synthesis in The Lancet. Digital health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 64 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
64 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.
- From flyways to foci: a systematic review and meta-analysis on the role of birds in the maintenance and global dispersal of ticks and tick-borne pathogens.Parasites & vectors · 2026Pooled it
- Mapping the Global Distribution ofTransboundary and emerging diseases · 2025Pooled it
- Rickettsial Diseases and Vaccines: Is There an Opportunity for Plant-Made Vaccine Technology?Biotechnology and bioengineering · 2026Review
- Spotted feverMicrobiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Rickettsia massiliae and its public health significance across Palearctic and Oriental regions: a scoping review.Infectious diseases of poverty · 2026Article
- Development and Application of a Multiplex qPCR Rapid Detection System for Syndromic Detection of Tick-Borne Pathogen Coinfections.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- From "high AUC" to evidentiary reliability: audit-ready deployment standards for deep-learning rib-fracture detection in postmortem CT.International journal of legal medicine · 2026Article
- Prevalence and Species Diversity of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ixodid Ticks Collected in Northwest Russia.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2026Article
- Human infection by an unclassifiedNew microbes and new infections · 2026Article
- Ecological factors and genetic features are associated with ecological generalism in pathogenic tick-borne viruses.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Geographical dataset of questing nymphal density for three key tick vector species of Lyme disease.Scientific data · 2026Article
- High fever with rash: a case report of spotted fever group rickettsial infection at a construction site.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Assessment of the Pathogenicity ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- A new therapeutic strategy for spotted fever group rickettsioses: a proposal for evaluating combination therapy with tetracycline and fluoroquinolones.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Research progress on emerging and important Tick-Borne pathogens.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- Ecological niche and rickettsial risk mapping ofFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- High diversity and distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Sudan emphasizes the need for implementing cost-effective community One Health strategy.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Review
- Geospatial epidemiological approaches to the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases: A systematic review.Infectious diseases & immunity · 2026Review
- Case Report: PediatricFrontiers in pediatrics · 2026Article
- A novelFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
4 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEmerging and re-emerging spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsioses are increasingly recognised worldwide as threats to public health, yet their global distribution and associated risk burden remain poorly understood.
methodsIn this systematic review and modelling analysis, we mapped global distributions of all confirmed species of SFG rickettsiae (SFGR) detected in animals, vectors, and human beings, using data collected from the literature. We assessed ecological drivers for the distributions of 17 major SFGR species using machine learning algorithms, and mapped model-predicted risks.
findingsBetween Jan 1, 1906, and March 31, 2021, we found reports of 48 confirmed SFGR species, with 66 133 human infections worldwide, with a large spatial variation across the continents. 198 vector species were detected to carry 47 of these Rickettsia spp. (146 ticks, 24 fleas, 15 mosquitoes, six mites, four lice, two keds, and one bug). Based on model-predicted global distributions of the 17 major SFGR species, we found five spatial clusters aggregated by ecological similarity in terms of environmental and ecoclimatic features. Rickettsia felis is the leading SFGR species to which 4·4 billion (95% CI 3·8-5·3 billion) people are at risk, followed by Rickettsia conorii (3·7 billion) and Rickettsia africae (3·6 billion).
interpretationThe wide spectrum of vectors is contributing substantially to the increasing incidence of SFGR infections among humans. Awareness, diagnosis, and surveillance of SFGR infections should be improved in the high-risk regions, especially in areas where human infections are underreported.
fundingNational Key Research and Development Program of China.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.