Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2005 | Case report
Cardiac involvement in a patient with clinical and serological evidence of African tick-bite fever
Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2005
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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.
Case presentation
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.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that ATBF, that usually presents a benign course, may be complicated by an acute myocarditis.