A clinical case series of Rickettsia spp. from southern Türkiye

Abstract

Rickettsial infections should be considered in the presence of a maculopapular rash, especially in the endemic area with a history of tick bite. In this study, Rickettsia spp. infections of three cases will be mentioned. Three cases with positive Rickettsia spp immunofluorescent antibody serology were included in the study. Case-1 was a 17-year-old male patient, who had a history of tick bite one week before the admission was admitted with chest pain. He had tachycardia and a "tache noir" rash with a necrotic center in the area of the tick bite. Laboratory parameters showed lymphopenia, cardiac enzymes elevation. The patient’s serelogy of Rickettsia conorii IgM was 1/192 titer positive and IgG was negative. He hospitalized as acute Mediterranean Spotted Fever myocarditis. He recovered with doxycycline treatment. Case-2 was a nine-month-old girl presented with fever, rash and lymphadenomegaly on left axilla two weeks after the tick bite of her left arm. The rash was localized to the arm. R. slovaca and R. aeschlimannii serologies were detected 1/40 titer positive. After ciprofloxacin treatment her symptoms had dissapeared. Case-3 was a seven-year-old girl presented with fever reaching 39ºC for five days, myalgia and rash all over her body. She had scratched the tick from the scalp five days before the admission. Rickettsia conorii IgM serology was 1/768, IgG was 1/640 titer positive. She recovered after doxycycline treatment. Rickettsia spp. infections can lead to infections like myocarditis or the spotted fever group Rickettsiosis diseases. Complications can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment.