ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2002;8:457-9 | Number 6, December 2002
CASE REPORT
A returned traveller with persistent fever due to murine typhus
CP Ng, CB Lo, KK Wong, CH Chung
Accident and Emergency Department, North District Hospital
 
 
Murine (endemic) typhus is a notifiable disease in Hong Kong, but its diagnosis can be difficult. We report a case of murine typhus in a middleaged man who presented with persistent fever, headache, and skin rash 2 weeks after returning from a visit to China. The diagnosis of murine typhus requires a high index of suspicion for a febrile patient with a history of potential exposure to the disease vector (rat flea) in an endemic area. The importance of early recognition lies in the potential for early therapeutic intervention, leading to decreases in morbidity and duration of stay in hospital.
 
Key words: Disease vectors, endemic diseases; Fever; Typhus, endemic flea-borne
 
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