Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae Infection in Eastern Central China: A Case Series

Human infection with Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae (CRT) was first reported in northeastern China in 2012.

To describe the clinical spectrum and laboratory findings of patients infected with CRT in eastern central China.

Case series.

A sentinel hospital for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in eastern central China in 2014.

Hospitalized patients with SFTS-like illness.

Molecular and serologic tests were performed to diagnose CRT infection. Data about clinical manifestations and laboratory findings were retrieved from medical records.

56 of 733 assessed patients had CRT based on polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. All patients presented with nonspecific manifestations, including fever (96%), malaise (88%), myalgia (57%), cough (25%), and dizziness (14%). Only 2 patients had rash. Further, 16% had eschar, 29% had lymphadenopathy, 100% had gastrointestinal symptoms, 34% had neurologic symptoms, 43% had hemorrhagic manifestations, and 23% had signs of plasma leakage. Thrombocytopenia was observed in 70%, leukopenia in 59%; lymphopenia in 45%; and elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase in 82%, aspartate aminotransferase in 70%, alanine aminotransferase in 54%, and creatinine kinase in 46%. Co-infection with SFTS virus was documented in 66% patients, and 8 of the 56 patients died.

Patients with CRT were not treated for infection because they were retrospectively identified. This was not a population-based study, and the results cannot be generalized to all patients with CRT.

Candidatus R tarasevichiae infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile patients with SFTS-like illness in endemic areas.

National Natural Science Foundation of China.