Fever of intermediate duration after return from the Canary Islands

Abstract

A 35 year old patient presented to the emergency room with high fever, headache and a maculopapular rash after returning from the Canary Islands. Elevated levels of LDH and transaminases and thrombopenia developed during the further hospital course. This presentation is common for an infection with Rickettsia typhi. Therapy with doxycycline is usually effective and should be instituted promptly. The patient's fever remitted 48 h after the first dose. Fever of intermediate duration has been described as a separate disease entity in the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. It is defined as fever of 7-28 days duration for which a complete basic workup fails to define an etiology. Most cases are due to one of six infectious diseases (Q fever, Mediterranean spotted fever, endemic typhus, leptospirosis, brucellosis and mononucleosis).