Rickettsia felis meningoencephalitis in a 10-year-old child: a case report and literature review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rickettsia felis is a zoonotic pathogen belonging to the Rickettsia genus. Infection of children with central nervous system Rickettsia felis is very rare, with only a few cases reported worldwide.

Case presentation

We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical data, laboratory tests, and imaging results for a pediatric patient diagnosed with Rickettsia felis meningoencephalitis. The patient, an adolescent, initially presented with fever and headache. The condition progressed rapidly within six hours of admission, manifesting as photophobia, lethargy, and nuchal rigidity. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed leukocytosis, while cranial magnetic resonance imaging displayed abnormal signals in both basal ganglia and frontal-parietal regions. Detec

SUBMITTER: Zhang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12584534 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature