Murine typhus infection presenting with multi organ dysfunction in a child; a case report

We report a case of a 3 year child with acute febrile illness with rash and multiorgan dysfunction. Weil Felix test was strongly positive for OX 19, with negative scrub typhus IgM antibody test, suggesting a murine typhus infection. There were few salient differences in clinical and laboratory parameters, compared to scrub. Treatment of rickettsial infections is inexpensive and highly effective especially in early course of the disease. Differential diagnosis of rickettsial infection should be kept in a child presenting with fever, rash and multisystem involvement and adding empirical doxycycline at admission may be considered.
Source: Current Medicine Research and Practice - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research