Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
07:13
Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic Poly(I:C)
Published on: March 25, 2016
Murine typhus in pregnancy
Louis Gutierrez1, Salim Surani, Darrick Nelson
1Corpus Christi Family Practice Residency, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, Texas 78405, USA. gutierrezl3@hotmail.com
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
|February 27, 2010
Summary
This case report details a pregnant woman with murine typhus successfully treated with ampicillin. It highlights the first U.S. case of pregnancy-associated murine typhus, emphasizing timely diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Rickettsial Infections
Background:
- Murine typhus, caused by *Rickettsia typhi*, is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions.
- Pregnancy can alter the immune response and disease presentation, posing unique challenges for diagnosis and management.
- Early recognition and appropriate antibiotic therapy are crucial for favorable outcomes in rickettsial infections.
Observation:
- A 26-year-old pregnant woman at 26 weeks gestation presented with symptoms consistent with murine typhus.
- Ampicillin was initiated empirically for suspected infection.
- The patient demonstrated a significant clinical improvement following ampicillin treatment.
Findings:
- Serological confirmation of murine typhus was obtained after the initiation of antibiotic therapy.
- The patient's symptoms resolved with ampicillin, indicating effective treatment.
- This represents the first reported case of murine typhus in a pregnant individual in the United States.
Implications:
- Ampicillin appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for murine typhus during pregnancy.
- This case underscores the importance of considering murine typhus in pregnant women presenting with febrile illness in endemic areas.
- Further research may be warranted to establish definitive treatment guidelines for murine typhus in pregnancy.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.