Cardiac involvement in a patient with clinical and serological evidence of African tick-bite fever.
BACKGROUND
Myocarditis and pericarditis are rare complications of rickettsiosis, usually associated with Rickettsia rickettsii and R. conorii. African tick-bite fever (ATBF) is generally considered as a benign disease and no cases of myocardial involvement due to Rickettsia africae, the agent of ATBF, have yet been described.


METHODS
The patient, that travelled in an endemic area, presented typical inoculation eschars, and a seroconversion against R. africae, was admitted for chest pains and increased cardiac enzymes in the context of an acute myocarditis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that ATBF, that usually presents a benign course, may be complicated by an acute myocarditis.
Bellini
Cristina
C
Infectious Diseases Unit, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Cristina.Bellini@chuv.ch
Monti
Matteo
M
Potin
Mathieu
M
Dalle Ave
Anne
A
Bille
Jacques
J
Greub
Gilbert
G
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013019:South Africa; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013987:Ticks; D014195:Travel
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline