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Acute fulminant myocarditis in scrub typhus
Rekwan Sittiwangkul1, Yupada Pongprot, Suchaya Silviliarat
1Cardiology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. rsittiwa@mail.med.cmu.ac.th
Annals of Tropical Paediatrics
|May 31, 2008
Summary
Scrub typhus, a zoonotic disease, can cause acute fulminant myocarditis in children. This rare complication of Orientia tsutsugamushi infection led to severe cardiogenic shock and fatalities in two reported cases.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Scrub typhus is a zoonotic febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, prevalent in rural Asia and the Western Pacific.
- Severe complications of scrub typhus are uncommon.
- Myocarditis is a rare but serious potential complication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the occurrence of acute fulminant myocarditis in children diagnosed with scrub typhus.
- To highlight a severe and potentially fatal complication of scrub typhus in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Case series reporting four pediatric patients with scrub typhus.
- Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and outcomes of affected children were documented.
Main Results:
- Four children presented with scrub typhus and subsequently developed acute fulminant myocarditis.
- Two of the four children experienced severe cardiogenic shock.
- Two children succumbed to the severe cardiac complications.
Conclusions:
- Acute fulminant myocarditis is a critical and potentially lethal complication of scrub typhus in children.
- This case series represents the first report of fulminant myocarditis complicating scrub typhus in pediatric patients.
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