title: Scrub typhus mimicking enteric fever; a report of three patients.
abstract: We report three patients who presented with fever and late onset diarrhoea mimicking enteric fever. All three patients were diagnosed with an Orientia tsutsugamushi infection and responded dramatically to doxycycline treatment. Clinicians practicing in rickettsial disease endemic areas should be made aware of similar clinical presentations in order to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with rickettsioses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, P.O. Box 6, Thalagolla Road, Ragama, Sri Lanka. ranjan premaratna@lycos.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Premaratna
authors.forename: B M T P
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nawasiwatte
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Niriella
authors.forename: T G A N
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Chandrasena
authors.forename: N K B K R G W
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bandara
authors.forename: R P V J
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Rajapakse
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: de Silva
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014435:Typhoid Fever / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline