Propo s e : Tsutsugamushi fever is a acute febrile disease, which is caused by O. tsutsugamushi.
Recently, this disease is increasingly reported in children. This study was undertaken
to investigate clinical features of tsutsugamushi fever in children.
Me th ods : This study involved 17 children with tsutsugamushi fever who were admitted
to Masan Samsung hospital between September 1997 and December 2000. We investigated
the age, sex ratio, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, response of therapy and prognosis.
Re s ul t s : The age of patients was 6.9±3.6 years, ranging from 6 months to 12 years
and male predilection(58.8%) was noted and all cases of patients occured in October or
November. The most common symptoms were fever in all cases and headache in 8(47.1%).
The most common signs were skin rash in all cases, eschar in 14(82.4%) and lymphadenopathy
8(47.1%). Locations of the eschars were back and inguinal area in each 3 cases, neck
and chest in each 2, popliteal area in 2, scalp and thigh in each 1. Laboratory findings included
anemia in 1 case, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia in each 5, hematuria and proteinuria
in each 1, ESR elevation in 2 and positive CRP in 12, AST elevation in 9 and ALT
elevation in 7. Serologic diagnosis was made by passive hemagglutination assay(PHA) in 8
cases(47%) on admission, 4 cases in initial negative group were performed follow-up test at
2nd or 3rd weeks of illness and then all cases of 4 were converted to positive reaction.
Clinical improvement was noticed in all cases after treatment to chloramhenicol or doxycycline.
Mean duration for defervescence after treatment was 1.4±0.8 days. Complications were
interstitial pneumonia in 1 case and aseptic meningitis in 3, but all cases of patients were
recovered without sequelae or recurrence.
Con c lu s i on s : Tsutsugamushi fever in children was similiar to adult in the clinical
features except male predilection. Early diagnosis and empirical treatment based on clinical
manifestations such as fever, skin rash, eschar, lymphadenopathy is important and serologic
diagnosis need to perform follow-up test at 2nd or 3rd weeks of illness.
Propo s e : Tsutsugamushi fever is a acute febrile disease, which is caused by O. tsutsugamushi.
Recently, this disease is increasingly reported in children. This study was undertaken
to investigate clinical features of tsutsugamushi fever in children.
Me th ods : This study involved 17 children with tsutsugamushi fever who were admitted
to Masan Samsung hospital between September 1997 and December 2000. We investigated
the age, sex ratio, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, response of therapy and prognosis.
Re s ul t s : The age of patients was 6.9±3.6 years, ranging from 6 months to 12 years
and male predilection(58.8%) was noted and all cases of patients occured in October or
November. The most common symptoms were fever in all cases and headache in 8(47.1%).
The most common signs were skin rash in all cases, eschar in 14(82.4%) and lymphadenopathy
8(47.1%). Locations of the eschars were back and inguinal area in each 3 cases, neck
and chest in each 2, popliteal area in 2, scalp and thigh in each 1. Laboratory findings included
anemia in 1 case, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia in each 5, hematuria and proteinuria
in each 1, ESR elevation in 2 and positive CRP in 12, AST elevation in 9 and ALT
elevation in 7. Serologic diagnosis was made by passive hemagglutination assay(PHA) in 8
cases(47%) on admission, 4 cases in initial negative group were performed follow-up test at
2nd or 3rd weeks of illness and then all cases of 4 were converted to positive reaction.
Clinical improvement was noticed in all cases after treatment to chloramhenicol or doxycycline.
Mean duration for defervescence after treatment was 1.4±0.8 days. Complications were
interstitial pneumonia in 1 case and aseptic meningitis in 3, but all cases of patients were
recovered without sequelae or recurrence.
Con c lu s i on s : Tsutsugamushi fever in children was similiar to adult in the clinical
features except male predilection. Early diagnosis and empirical treatment based on clinical
manifestations such as fever, skin rash, eschar, lymphadenopathy is important and serologic
diagnosis need to perform follow-up test at 2nd or 3rd weeks of illness.