Meningoencephalitis, myocarditis and disseminated intravascular coagulation in a patient with scrub typhus

A 21-year-old male soldier was admitted due to a sore throat, headache, generalized lymphadenopathy and persistent fever for 12 days. Despite empirical antibiotic treatment for four days at a clinic prior to admission, he continued to have persistent abdominal pain over his right upper quadrant region and progressive jaundice was followed by shock. After admission, he developed an episode of clonic seizures and became delirious and agitated. An electrocardiogram showed first degree atrioventricular (AV) block and non-specific ST-T wave changes. Hematological studies revealed thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, abnormal partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and a positive test for D-dimer. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis with white cells of 84/mm3 with a lymphocyte predominance, protein of 97 mg/dL and glucose of 79 mg/dL. Indirect immunofluorescence assay showed a fourfold rise in antibodies to Orientia tsutsugamushi in paired serum with IgM antibody titer of 1:640. The patient had a favorable response after parenteral chloramphenicol in addition to oral tetracycline. Early ricognition of scrub typhus and early prescription of anti-rickettsial agents prevent complications of central nervous system involvement and further deterioration of cardiac and hematological function.