title: [Probable case of flea-borne spotted fever (Rickettsia felis)].
abstract: Rickettsia felis is the etiologic agent of flea-borne spotted fever, with Ctenocephalides felis as its main vector and reservoir. Typically, the disease presents as acute fever associated with headache, asthenia, generalized maculo-papular rash, and in some cases, an inoculation eschar. In recent years, R. felis has acquired an important role in the etiology of the acute febrile syndrome; it is indeed an emerging infectious disease, albeit underdiagnosed. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) is currently the reference diagnostic method. However, this technique has limitations related to the cross reactivity among different species of rickettsiae. Herein, we describe a case of a 16 year-old patient with an acute febrile syndrome secondary to probable infection with R. felis.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Álvaro A
authors.initials: ÁA
authors.lastname: Faccini-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Elkin G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Forero-Becerra
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Jesús A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cortés-Vecino
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Luis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Polo-Teran
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Jorge H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jácome
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Jimmy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, University of Texas Medical Branch, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valbuena
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Marylin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002415:Cats; D058251:Ctenocephalides / Q000382:microbiology*; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004285:Dogs; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission; D041161:Rickettsia felis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G