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Fatal Brazilian spotted fever in a healthy military man during field training in Rio de Janeiro city, southeastern Brazil

2022; UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO; Volume: 64; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/s1678-9946202264077

1678-9946

Ana Beatriz Pacheco-Silva, Ezequias Batista Martins, Angie Jeannine Rios López, Paula João Tomás Detepo, Roxana Flores Mamani, André Miguel Japiassú, Otília Lupi, Tulio Vieira Mendes, Anielle de Pina-Costa, Guilherme Amaral Calvet, Clarisse da Silveira Bressan, Michele Fernanda Borges da Silva, Liana Lumi Ogino, Matheus Ribeiro da Silva Assis, Amanda Meneleu Marques, Cristina Maria Giordano Dias, Juliana Mildward Borchert, Elba Regina Sampaio de Lemos, Patrícia Brasil,

Mosquito-borne diseases and control

Brazilian spotted fever, a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. We report a fulminant case of this zoonosis in a healthy 46-year-old military man in the urban region of Rio de Janeiro city, in October, 2021. Ticks and capybaras (Amblyomma sculptum, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, respectively) were identified in the military fields, pointing to the participation of this large synanthropic rodent, recognized as an efficient amplifier host of Rickettsia rickettsii in Brazil. As the military population is considered a risk group for spotted fever, it is necessary to alert health professionals to the importance of the early detection of the disease and its adequate management, mainly in populations that are particularly at risk of exposure to ticks, in order to avoid fatal outcomes.