La Valentine disease: An outbreak of exanthematic typhus in Marseille,France,in 1810

Abstract

Background:

Exanthematic typhus was highly frequent in the early 19th century among military troops and prisoners and at hospitals.

Methods:

Based on old reports, we describe an outbreak in a village, in Southern France, in 1810.

Results:

Twenty-eight cases were identified, over a period of 10 days following the death of the index case, in a soldier. Symptoms included notably persistent constant fever, myalgia and headaches, gastro-intestinal symptoms, prostration and stupor. Three patients suffered delirium and nine died (31.0%). Overall, symptoms persisted for 13–14 days. A total of 16 cases were secondary to contacts with the index case, and 10 cases were in house-hold contacts of secondary cases. Five familial clusters were described.

Conclusion:

This data suggest that exanthematic typhus outbreaks among civilian populations also occurred outside the context of hospitals, in link with introduction of the disease by prisoners or soldiers.