Central nervous system involvement in Rickettsial diseases.
The Rickettsia are obligate intracellular parasites that are usually spread to humans by insects and typically produce vasculitides. The prototypic rickettsial disorder in the United States is Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). The differential diagnosis of RMSF and related disorders includes other conditions that produce vasculitis, most importantly meningococcemia. The rickettsial disorders are usually treated effectively with tetracycline derivatives.
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Department of Neurology, Neurological Surgery, Internal Medicine, Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22908. tpb9k@virginia.edu
D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012288:Rickettsiaceae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States