Volume 29, Number 11—November 2023
Research Letter
Severe Rickettsia typhi Infections, Costa Rica
Diana Chinchilla
, Inés Sánchez, Ida Chung, Arlyn N. Gleaton, and Cecilia Y. Kato
, Inés Sánchez, Ida Chung, Arlyn N. Gleaton, and Cecilia Y. Kato
Table
Characteristics of 2 patients confirmed to have murine typhus, Costa Rica, 2019
| Characteristic | Patient 1 | Patient 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Age, y/sex |
30/M |
46/F |
| Presumptive diagnosis upon arrival |
Leptospirosis, ehrlichiosis |
Lyme disease, brucellosis, dengue fever |
| Travel history |
Visited Cocles Beach on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica |
Not indicated |
| Days after onset of symptoms |
Sample drawn within 7 d |
Sample drawn within 9 d |
| Early symptoms |
Fever, joint pain, myalgia, chills, headache, abdominal pain, dehydration, diarrhea, cough |
Fever, chills, headache, vomiting, cough |
| Late symptoms |
Jaundice, gum bleeding, multiple organ failure |
Sepsis |
| Hospital ward |
Admitted to intensive care unit, required mechanical ventilation |
Admitted to infectious disease ward |
| Outcome |
Recovered after 15 d treatment with doxycycline and tigecycline |
Died from nosocomial pneumonia, septic shock, and renal failure (as stated in certificate of death) |
| Seroconversion in convalescent-phase sample* | No convalescent-phase sample | Titer of IgG against Rickettsia typhi 1:64 |
*By immunofluorescence for IgG against spotted fever group and typhus group Rickettsia (Fuller Laboratories, http://www.fullerlabs.com).
Page created: August 31, 2023
Page updated: October 23, 2023
Page reviewed: October 23, 2023
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