A tick that bit the right ankle of a 68-year-old woman transmitted Japanese spotted fever, resulting in a whole-body rash and 103 F (39.5 C) fever.
Five days after a pinpoint dot-like rash appeared on her arms and legs, the unidentified woman visited Narita Hospital just outside Tokyo, Japan.
The doctors then observed it spreading to her palms and feet. Before a two-week treatment of minocycline brought it under control, lesions appeared. Testing confirmed that she was infected with Rickettsia japonica bacteria, which were transmitted by the tick.
More than 300 cases of the disease are reported each year in Japan, where it is indigenous, but only a handful in other nations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns, however, that the virus could still be identified in the United States among visitors who have recently returned from the Asian country.
Dr. Kosuke Ishizuka, a physician from the International University of Health and Welfare Narita Hospital who conducted the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, hoped that it would boost awareness of the disorder.
It is unclear when she sought medical attention. Her condition improved following two weeks of treatment.
Only tick bites can transmit Japanese spotted fever, which is carried by at least eight species in Japan and several in South Korea.
Patients typically experience widespread skin rashes, fever, and headaches.
In severe circumstances, patients may also experience liver impairment. About one in 100 affected individuals die from the disease.
As soon as an illness is suspected, even before testing confirms it, Japanese health authorities recommend administering an antibiotic to patients.
The CDC warns that it could reach the United States by stating, “People may be exposed to these tick-borne bacteria when traveling abroad.”
“Healthcare professionals should be aware of these illnesses in patients with signs and symptoms typical of other spotted fevers and a travel history within two weeks of the onset of sickness.”
Japanese spotted fever is caused by bacteria in the family Rickettsia, with ticks in the United States carrying certain strains.
The most hazardous of these organisms, Rickettsia rickettsii, is responsible for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
In the early stages of the disease, which has been documented in every U.S. state except Alaska and Hawaii, sufferers typically experience fever and headache.
However, the infection can rapidly escalate into a life-threatening condition.
In addition to hearing loss, paralysis, and mental impairment, some individuals may require amputation of their limbs, fingers, or toes due to blood vessel damage.
Typically, rashes appear two to four days following a fever and can appear as red spots’ or ‘pinpoint dots’
Antibiotics are offered to patients, as with the Japanese strain, to combat the infection.
Each year, more than 6,000 cases of this condition are documented nationwide.
About four percent of individuals die from the condition, although this number might reach thirty percent among those who do not receive therapy.
What is spotted fever in Japan?
This sickness is caused by a bacterium that tick bites may transmit.
It is known in Japan and South Korea, but physicians in other countries where it may have been imported should be vigilant.
Typically, symptoms appear up to two weeks after a bite.
In the majority of instances, individuals experience widespread rashes, fever, and headaches.
In more severe situations, patients may also experience liver impairment.
About one in 100 affected individuals die from the disease.
Antibiotics are frequently administered before tests confirming the infection’s presence.
Approximately 300 cases are diagnosed annually in Japan.
