1. When a travel bug gets you down: severe, hypotensive African tick bite fever and response to therapy.
- Author
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Saxena SS, Zeidan S, Meyer S, Fung MA, and Tartar DM
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Doxycycline therapeutic use, Travel, Rickettsia Infections diagnosis, Rickettsia Infections drug therapy, Rickettsia Infections epidemiology, Tick-Borne Diseases diagnosis, Tick-Borne Diseases epidemiology, Tick-Borne Diseases microbiology, Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis complications, Hypotension complications
- Abstract
African tick bite fever, resulting from Rickettsia africae inoculation, is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. We present a United States traveler with African tick bite fever 5 days after she returned from a mission trip to Zimbabwe. The patient exhibited symptomatic hypotension in addition to more typical findings, including fever, fatigue, and a necrotic eschar. The diagnosis was supported by histopathological findings and the patient's symptoms rapidly resolved with oral doxycycline therapy. We believe this case represents the first African tick bite fever diagnosis associated with symptomatic hypotension. This case additionally serves as a reminder of the importance of evaluating patient travel history.
- Published
- 2023
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