A Case of African Tick-Bite Fever in a Returning Traveler from Southern Africa
Authors
Woonji Lee ; Hye Seong ; Jung Ho Kim ; Heun Choi ; Jun Hyoung Kim ; Jin Young Ahn ; Su Jin Jeong ; Nam Su Ku ; Jun Yong Choi ; Choon-Mee Kim ; Dong-Min Kim ; Joon-Sup Yeom
Citation
INFECTION AND CHEMOTHERAPY, Vol.54(1) : 202-207, 2022-03
African tick-bite fever ; Polymerase chain reaction ; Rickettsia africae ; Spotted fever group rickettsiosis
Abstract
African tick-bite fever (ATBF), caused by Rickettsia africae, is the second most frequent cause of fever after malaria in travelers returning from Southern Africa. As the Korean outbound travelers are increasing every year, tick-borne rickettsial diseases as a cause of febrile illness are likely to increase. We describe a febrile Korean returning traveler who showed two eschars after visiting the rural field in Manzini, Swaziland. We performed nested polymerase chain reaction using the eschar and diagnosed the patient with ATBF. He was treated with oral doxycycline for 7 days, and recovered without any complications. We believe that the present case is the first ATBF case diagnosed in a Korean traveler.