Severe encephalopathies in children with antibodies reactive with Rickettsia africae
Jacquemard, R.; Pretorius, A.M.; van der Ryst, E.; Venter, A.; Kelly, P.J.
South African Medical Journal 88(11): 1432
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0256-9574 PMID: 9861952 Document Number: 492615
Between June 1997 and June 1998, 4 children of 3 to 6-years-old in Bloemfontein, South Africa, presented with signs and symptoms of severe encephalopathy. 2 presented with fulminant encephalopathy resulting in death within 24 h and 1 with encephalopathy gradually progressing to deep coma and brain death over a period of 2 weeks. The 4th child presented with convulsions; her neurological condition deteriorated over a number of days but she recovered over a period of 4 weeks. None of the patients had a history of a tick bite, eschar or skin rash. The presence of IgM antibodies in the absence of IgG reactive with Rickettsia africae strongly indicates that this, or a closely related organism, was responsible for the encephalopathies in these patients.