Characterization of rickettsia rickettsii in a case of Fatal Brazilian spotted fever in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

AUTOR(ES)

Lamas, Cristiane, Favacho, Alexsandra, Rozental, Tatiana, Bóia, Márcio N., Kirsten, Andrei H., Guterres, Alexandro, Barreira, Jairo, Lemos, Elba Regina S. de

FONTE

Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008-04

RESUMO

A lethal case of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is presented. Clinical features were initially of gastrointestinal involvement and evolved with progression to septic shock, meningoencephalitis and death on the 6th day of illness. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for spotted fever group rickettsia (SFGR) was non-reactive. Diagnosis was confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the nucleotide sequencing of a fragment of the ompA gene showed 100% homology to Rickettsia rickettsii. BSF has not been reported in the city of Rio de Janeiro in the last three decades, and the present description should alert the clinicians to its presence in urban Rio de Janeiro, and to the differential diagnosis with dengue fever, gastroenteritis, leptospirosis and bacterial septic shock, among others.

Documentos Relacionados

• Fatal case of spotted fever in a patient from Northeastern Brazil
• Pathologic study of a fatal case of dengue-3 virus infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii in the tick Amblyomma cajennense in a new Brazilian spotted fever-endemic area in the state of Minas Gerais
• Detection of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever agent, Rickettsia rickettsii, in dead ticks, Dermacentor andersoni.
• Atypical fulminant Rickettsia rickettsii infection (Brazilian spotted fever) presenting as septic shock and Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome