6533b838fe1ef96bd12a3ee0
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Multiple organ failure as onset of Mediterranean spotted fever: a review based on a case
Antonio CarroccioClaudia CusimanoTiziana CatalanoPasquale MansuetoAlberto D'alcamoAccursia BongiovìGiuseppe PirroneAurelio Seiditasubject
0301 basic medicineSettore MED/09 - Medicina InternaRhipicephalus sanguineus030106 microbiologylcsh:MedicineEscharTickSerology03 medical and health sciencesMedicinemultiple organ failure.multiple organ dysfunction syndromebiologybusiness.industrylcsh:RMediterranean spotted feverGeneral Medicinebiology.organism_classificationMultiple organ failureVirologySpotted feverRickettsia conoriiImmunoglobulin MInfectious disease (medical specialty)biology.proteinmedicine.symptombusinessRickettsia conoriidescription
Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is an infectious disease endemic in the southern regions of Italy, with an incidence of about 400 cases/year. The bacteria responsible of the disease is <em>Rickettsia conorii</em>, transmitted to humans by <em>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</em>, the common dog tick. The infection usually manifests with a characteristic symptomatologic triad: fever, exanthema and the so called <em>tache noire</em>, which is the typical eschar at the site of the tick bite. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG enzymelinked immunosorbent assay and the gold standard micro-immunofluorescent assay, allow serological diagnosis. We report the case of a man suffering from MSF, whose atypical presentation and false-negative diagnostic tests delayed consistently diagnosis and therapy. Afterwards we review the literature about this topic.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-09-30 | Italian Journal of Medicine |