Spotted fever requires quick treatment to avoid death – 06/14/2023 – Health

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is known to be very lethal. Therefore, a quick diagnosis so that antibiotic treatment can be started immediately is essential.

Data indicate that the lethality of the disease can exceed 50%. Covid-19, for example, did not exceed the rate of 7% in Brazil, even before vaccination.

“The diagnosis [da febre maculosa] it has to be fast, and the treatment, immediate. This will save lives”, summarizes Tania Chaves, a consultant for the SBI (Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases) and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the UFPA (Federal University of Pará).

One of the dilemmas is the difficulty of making an exact diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. That’s because symptoms, such as fever, body pain, malaise and nausea, are common to several other illnesses. Dengue, leptospirosis, and malaria are examples of illnesses that cause these symptoms and can be confusing.

For these reasons, something important for the diagnosis is the history of the suspected patient. For example, it is important to identify the places where he traveled and identify whether they are risky areas for transmission, such as rural areas and riversides. These spaces may have the presence of ticks, the main transmission vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever to humans, through their bite.

Colder and drier periods are the ones with the highest risk for the disease, and Tania Chaves says that many cases occur between June and November. This does not mean, however, that infections do not happen at other times. “It may be that this cycle is anticipated for the month of May and drags on a little longer”, she exemplifies.

Confirmation of the diagnosis only occurs with laboratory tests. In some cases, it is even necessary to retake the exam due to the possibility of a false negative. In any case, it is important to administer antibiotics even before confirming any test. Tetracycline and chloramphenicol are the two drugs used against Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Immediate treatment is necessary to avoid progression to more serious conditions that lead to death. Between the 5th and 15th day from the onset of symptoms, the patient may die. In addition, according to the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), from the 7th day of symptoms without treatment, the disease must have evolved to a critical state, and death will probably no longer be avoidable.

These more severe cases of the disease are associated with the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii, with records especially in the Southeast region and in the north of Paraná. Another species of the pathogen in Brazil that can also cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever is Rickettsia parkerimore common in regions of the Atlantic Forest in states such as Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.

Chaves explains that, although this species usually leads to a milder condition, it remains a cause for concern. This is because, in some cases, it can cause serious complications in the patient to the point of progressing to a serious stage of infection.