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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.
Hong Kong Med J 2002;8:457-9
Key words: Disease vectors, endemic diseases; Fever;
Typhus, endemic flea-borne
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