Fatal Brazilian spotless fever caused by Rickettsia rickettsii in a dark-skinned patient

• Autor(a) principal: Favacho,Alexsandra Rodrigues de Mendonça
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Rozental,Tatiana, Calic,Simone Berger, Scofield,Maria Aparecida Mota, Lemos,Elba Regina Sampaio de
• Tipo de documento: Relatório
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822011000300028
• topic: Fatal Brazilian spotless fever; Black patient; PCR

Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is the most important and frequent rickettsial disease in Brazil. A fatal case of BSF is reported in a 32-year-old black man, who died of irreversible shock after five days of fever, severe headache and abdominal pain with no rash. Spleen, kidney and heart samples collected at autopsy were positive for Rickettsia rickettsii by PCR and sequencing. The authors emphasize the need for a high index of diagnostic suspicion for spotted fever in black patients. Absence of a skin rash should not dissuade clinicians from considering the possibility of BSF and initiating empirical therapy.