FLINDERS-ISLAND SPOTTED-FEVER - A NEWLY RECOGNIZED ENDEMIC FOCUS OF TICK TYPHUS IN BASS STRAIT .1. CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC FEATURES

Twenty six cases of a spotted-fever-like illness have been identified over a 17 year period in the population of about 1000 of Flinders island, Tasmania. The usual features were a fever, headache, myalgia, slight cough, arthralgia without joint swelling and a maculopapular rash which did not resemble the common exanthems. Twelve cases had a local skin lesion. Available evidence implicates ticks as the vector.