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Indian Tick Typhus Presenting with Gangrene: A Case Report from an Urban Slum of Delhi

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Abstract

Indian Tick Typhus has been rarely reported in children from Delhi. A 10-y-old male child from Delhi presented with fever, non specific gastrointestinal symptoms, petechial rash and gangrene of all the toes. Possibility of rickettsial infection was entertained after the child failed to improve with best of the antibiotics. Sample for serology for rickettsial infection was sent and Doxycycline was started empirically. He became afebrile within 72 h of starting Doxycycline. Later, diagnosis of Indian Tick Typhus was confirmed on the basis of IgM positivity against Rickettsia conori. Possibility of rickettsial infection should be entertained in children with history of fever and skin rash, especially if the child fails to improve with a course of antibiotics and common infectious etiologies have been ruled out.

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Acknowledgments

Dr Naveen Gupta, Deputy Director, Zoonosis Division, NCDC, Delhi, for providing serology report of the patient.

Contributions

MK and RS worked up the case and involved in case management. MK drafted the manuscript and reviewed the literature. RS and MY helped in drafting the manuscript. MK will act as guarantor.

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Correspondence to Manish Kumar.

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Kumar, M., Singh, R. & Yadav, M. Indian Tick Typhus Presenting with Gangrene: A Case Report from an Urban Slum of Delhi. Indian J Pediatr 81, 95–97 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1095-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1095-7

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