A Patient from Argentina Infected with Rickettsia massiliae

Abstract

The first confirmed case of Rickettsia massiliae infection in the New World (Buenos Aires, Argentina) is described. To date, only two cases of human infection had been reported in Europe. The patient, a woman, had a fever, a palpable purpuric rash on the upper and lower extremities, and a skin lesion (eschar) on the right leg compatible with tache noire. When interviewed, she reported having had contact with dog ticks. After treatment with doxycycline for 12 days, her symptoms resolved. Rickettsia massiliae infection was diagnosed by molecular-based detection of the microorganism in a biopsy specimen of the eschar.