Fatal Brazilian spotted fever in a healthy military man during field training in Rio de Janeiro city, southeastern Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Pacheco-Silva, Ana Beatriz
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Martins, Ezequias Batista, López, Angie Jeannine Rios, Detepo, Paula João Tomas, Mamani, Roxana Flores, Japiassú, André Miguel, Lupi, Otilia, Mendes, Tulio Vieira, Pina-Costa, Anielle de, Calvet, Guilherme Amaral, Bressan, Clarisse da Silveira, Silva, Michele Fernanda Borges da, Ogino, Liana Lumi, Assis, Matheus Ribeiro da Silva, Marques, Amanda Meneleu, Dias, Cristina Maria Giordano, Borchert, Juliana Mildward, Lemos, Elba Regina Sampaio de, Brasil, Patrícia
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.usp.br/rimtsp/article/view/204780
• topic: Spotted fever; Rickettsia infection; Vector-borne; Capybaras; Rio de Janeiro city

Brazilian spotted fever, a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. We report a fulminant case of this zoonosis in a healthy 46-year-old military man in the urban region of Rio de Janeiro city, in October, 2021. Ticks and capybaras (Amblyomma sculptum, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, respectively) were identified in the military fields, pointing to the participation of this large synanthropic rodent, recognized as an efficient amplifier host of Rickettsia rickettsii in Brazil. As the military population is considered a risk group for spotted fever, it is necessary to alert health professionals to the importance of the early detection of the disease and its adequate management, mainly in populations that are particularly at risk of exposure to ticks, in order to avoid fatal outcomes.