MNGS facilitates the diagnosis of pediatric murine typhus: A case report.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Murine typhus, caused by Rickettsia typhi, is a globally distributed flea-borne rickettsiosis. Although rarely recognized, it can trigger hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome. Nonspecific febrile illness and atypical petechial eruptions frequently lead to delayed or missed diagnoses. This report aims to illustrate the diagnostic process and clinical implications of murine typhus-associated HLH in a pediatric patient, and to evaluate the utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) as an unbiased detection tool for occult pathogens.

Patient concerns

A 10-year-old child was admitted with unexplained recurrent fever and generalized petechiae, refractory to treatment at outside hospitals.

Diagnoses

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SUBMITTER: Duan JX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12826250 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature