RESUMO
We report the case of a traveler who returned from Zambia and was diagnosed with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), an infectious disease caused by Rickettsia conorii conorii. The patient presented to Sapporo City General Hospital with symptoms of fever, malaise, headache, and rash. The pathogen was identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction assays and subsequent analyses. The patient improved with 10-day treatment of oral doxycycline. Although some cases of MSF have been reported in sub-Saharan Africa, none have been reported in Zambia. Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, the vector of the Rickettsia conorii conorii, has been found in various areas of Zambia. Our case report highlights the potential threat of Mediterranean spotted fever in urban areas of Zambia.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos , Febre Botonosa , Doxiciclina , Rickettsia conorii , Zâmbia , Humanos , Doxiciclina/uso terapêutico , Febre Botonosa/tratamento farmacológico , Febre Botonosa/microbiologia , Febre Botonosa/diagnóstico , Rickettsia conorii/isolamento & purificação , Rickettsia conorii/genética , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Masculino , Viagem , Animais , Adulto , Rhipicephalus sanguineus/microbiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The healthcare system in Iran appears to overlook Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) as an endemic disease, particularly in pediatric cases, indicating the need for greater attention and awareness. CASE PRESENTATION: A six-year-old patient with fever, abdominal pain, headache, skin rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, and black eschar (tache noire) from southeast Iran was identified as a rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis through clinical and laboratory assessments, including IFA and real-time PCR. The patient was successfully treated with doxycycline. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms like rash, edema, eschar, and abdominal pain may indicate the possibility of MSF during the assessment of acute febrile illness, IFA and real-time PCR are the primary diagnostic methods for this disease.