title: Cardiac involvement in a patient with clinical and serological evidence of African tick-bite fever.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Cristina.Bellini@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potin
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalle Ave
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bille
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Greub
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline