Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 10, 2025

An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines
07:18

An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines

Published on: October 11, 2022

1.9K

Central infection with Rickettsia felis complicated with stroke: A case series and review

Jiongfei Jin1,2, Fei Dong3, Er Xu4

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of the College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310002, China.

Idcases
|August 21, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Rickettsia felis, a flea-borne pathogen, can cause severe neurological complications like stroke. Early diagnosis using advanced methods like NGS is crucial for better patient outcomes in febrile patients.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neurology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Rickettsia felis is an emerging flea-borne pathogen presenting similar symptoms to other rickettsial infections.
  • Central nervous system (CNS) complications, including meningoencephalitis, are rare but documented sequelae of R. felis infection.

Observation:

  • This report details three cases of R. felis CNS infections complicated by cerebrovascular events.
  • Two cases involved cerebral infarction, and one presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in these patients showed elevated protein and lymphocytic pleocytosis.

Findings:

  • Rickettsia felis infection should be considered in febrile patients presenting with stroke.
  • Next-generation sequencing (NGS) aids in the timely identification of rare pathogens like R. felis.
  • Cerebral infarction and subarachnoid hemorrhage are potential neurological complications of R. felis infection.

Implications:

  • Early detection and treatment of R. felis infections are vital for improving patient prognosis.
  • The findings underscore the importance of considering uncommon pathogens in the differential diagnosis of stroke.
  • Advanced diagnostics like NGS are essential for identifying and managing rare infectious causes of neurological disease.
Keywords:
Central infectionCerebrospinal fluidRickettsia felisStroke

More Related Videos

Experimental Infection of Mice with the Parasitic Nematode Strongyloides ratti ratti Infection10:12

Experimental Infection of Mice with the Parasitic Nematode Strongyloides ratti ratti Infection

Published on: January 17, 2025

620
Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research08:23

Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research

Published on: August 31, 2013

13.3K

Related Concept Videos

Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis01:25

Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis

Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...
25
Endocarditis I: Introduction01:25

Endocarditis I: Introduction

Introduction:Endocarditis is the infection of the endocardium, the inner lining of the heart and its valves. When the heart muscle is involved, the condition is termed myocarditis, while an infection of the outer lining is called pericarditis. Infective endocarditis (IE) primarily affects the endocardium, where pathogens adhere to the valves or lining, forming vegetation that can lead to severe complications. Infective endocarditis occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from other body...
26
Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria01:10

Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria

Intracellular bacteria and viruses often comprise a group of highly infectious pathogens that can cause several diseases. Bacterial pathogens include those belonging to the genus Rickettsia responsible for conditions such as rocky mountain spotted fever and the Mediterranean spotted fever; Chlamydia, a genus responsible for a sexually transmitted disease; Coxiella burnetii, an agent responsible for Q fever. Viral pathogens include vaccinia—a poxvirus, and herpes simplex virus—a...
2.9K
Endocarditis IV: Nursing Management01:29

Endocarditis IV: Nursing Management

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a chronic infection of the heart's endocardium, primarily affecting the heart valves. A detailed nursing assessment for a patient with IE involves collecting subjective and objective data to ensure an accurate diagnosis and timely intervention.Subjective DataThe nurse gathers information about the patient's symptoms and complaints during the subjective assessment. Patients with infective endocarditis often report non-specific symptoms that can mimic other...
27
Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction01:23

Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction

Rheumatic heart disease or RHD is a chronic condition that results from rheumatic fever, causing permanent damage to the heart valves.Etiology and Risk FactorsIt primarily arises from rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that can develop after untreated or inadequately treated group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Streptococcus spreads through direct contact with oral or respiratory secretions. While the bacteria are the causative agents, factors like malnutrition, overcrowding, poor...
39
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:22

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
57