Diagnosis of a Fatal Rickettsial Infection in a 44-Year-Old Male

• Main Authors: Yogesh Velaskar, Aparna Kotekar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2019-07-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
• Subjects: acute kidney injury; hepatitis; molecular diagnostics; multiple organ dysfunction; septicaemia
• Online Access: https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/12982/41364_PD(PoG_KM_V-2)_CE[Ra1]_F(SL)_PF1(AG_OM)_PFA(PoG_SHU_KM)_PB(AG_SL)_PN(SL).pdf

Rickettsial infections are an emerging public health concern in many parts of India with several undiagnosed or misdiagnosed cases. Despite its widespread prevalence in India, lack of suspicion, nonspecific signs and symptoms, and absence of widely available sensitive and specific diagnostic test contributes to a high fatality rate. This is a case study of a 44-year-old male patient with a severe Rickettsial infection that turned fatal. Aim of this case study is to highlight the importance of timely diagnosis of Rickettsial infections which in this case could have saved the patient’s life.