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Updated: May 26, 2026
07:20
Detecting the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, in Ticks Using Nested PCR
Published on: February 4, 2018
Coronary involvement in Mediterranean spotted fever
Antonio Cascio1, Maria Cristina Maggio, Francesca Cardella
1Dipartimento di Patologia Umana, Università di Messina, Messina, Italy. acascio@unime.it
The New Microbiologica
|December 7, 2011
Summary
Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), a tick-borne illness, can cause temporary coronary artery ectasia in children. This rare finding may indicate rickettsial vasculitis, requiring further research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is an acute febrile illness caused by Rickettsia conorii, typically presenting with fever, rash, and eschar.
- Coronary artery abnormalities are a known complication of other childhood febrile illnesses like Kawasaki disease.
Observation:
- A 3-year-old boy with suspected MSF presented with persistent fever despite clarithromycin treatment.
- Echocardiography revealed transient right coronary artery ectasia, prompting consideration of Kawasaki syndrome.
Findings:
- The patient received intravenous immunoglobulin and clarithromycin, leading to fever resolution.
- Serological tests confirmed Rickettsia conorii infection.
- Follow-up echocardiography showed normalization of the right coronary artery within six months.
Implications:
- Transient coronary artery ectasia may be an underrecognized manifestation of rickettsial vasculitis in MSF.
- Further prospective studies are necessary to determine the incidence and long-term sequelae of this cardiovascular complication in MSF.
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