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Published on: June 23, 2022
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome associated with Rickettsia conorii infection: a rare case report
Hamidreza Naderi1, Alireza Sedaghat2, AbouSaleh Sobhi2
1Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Objectives:
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is an uncommon but serious neurological complication characterized by headache, seizures, visual disturbances, and altered mental status, and associated with parieto-occipital vasogenic edema on neuroimaging. Rickettsial infections have rarely been reported as triggers of PRES.
Methods:
In this report, we describe the case of a 26-year-old man with rickettsial infection in Iran who developed a diffuse petechial rash, acute kidney injury, recurrent seizures, and bilateral cortical blindness.
Results:
Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed extensive parieto-occipital hyperintensities consistent with PRES. An indirect immunofluorescence assay demonstrated a fourfold rise in immunoglobulin M titers against Rickettsia conorii from 1:24 to 1:96, confirming acute R. conorii infection.
Conclusion:
This case highlights R. conorii as a rare infectious cause of PRES and underscores the importance of early recognition and empiric treatment in endemic settings.
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