[A patient with fever following a visit to the tropics: tick-borne relapsing fever discovered in a thick blood smear preparation]

• Abstract: A 26-year-old woman presented with a 2-day history of fever peaking to 39 degrees C and cold shivers that developed after a 2-weeks trip to Guatemala and Belize. Prior to the fever the patient had felt symptoms of a common cold and general malaise. Moreover, she complained of generalised myalgia and nausea. She had taken paludrine as a prophylactic against malaria. Borrelia spirochaetes, the pathogen of relapsing fever, were detected in a thick blood smear preparation. On the basis of the anamnesis, geography and specific exposure, the patient had a form of relapsing fever that is transmitted by ticks and not by lice: tick-borne relapsing fever. She was treated with doxycycline, 100 mg b.i.d. for 7 days. She could be discharged home in good condition after 2 days.
• Authors: G Heerdink, P L C Petit, H Hofwegen, P J J van Genderen (Affiliation: Havenziekenhuis en Instituut voor Tropische Ziekten, Haringvliet 2, 3011 TD Rotterdam.)
• Journal: Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde (Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd) Vol. 150 Issue 43 Pg. 2386-9 (Oct 28 2006) ISSN: 0028-2162 [Print] Netherlands
• Vernacular Title: Een patiënt met koorts na een bezoek aan de tropen: 'tick-borne relapsing fever' ontdekt in een dikkedruppelpreparaat.
• PMID: 17100131 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Doxycycline

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Belize
• Borrelia (isolation & purification)
• Doxycycline (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Guatemala
• Humans
• Relapsing Fever (blood, diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Travel
• Treatment Outcome
• Tropical Climate