Author(s): Tanveer Nawab, Srinivasa S, Sai Praneeth Reddy
The present retrospective study was conducted to identify the clinical features ,complications and outcome of rickettsial infections in children. Thirty children hospitalized in a period of 18 months with fever of unknown origin and those presented with two or more clinical features suggestive of rickettsial infection were included. These patients were studied for clinical manifestations, response to therapy and complications. Diagnosis of rickettsial disease was made based on classical clinical features and weil-felix test. Out of 30 patients with possible rickettsioses, scrub typhus was diagnosed in 14 (46.7%), spotted fever in 8 (26.7%), typhus in 2 (6.6%) and mixed features in 6 (20%). School going children were commonly affected. Rashes were present in 25 cases (83.3%). Other clinical features include vomiting in 11 cases (36.7%), pain abdomen in 8 ( 26.7%), diarrhoea in 3 (10%), constipation and jaundice in one case each (3.3%). Examination revealed hepatomegaly in 14 cases(46.7%), associated splenomegaly in 7 (23.3%), conjunctival congestion in 10 (33.3%), pedal edema in 7 (23.3%), lymphadenopathy in 1 case (3.3%). All patients recovered with doxycycline therapy.