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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2001, p. 2341-2343, Vol. 39, No. 6
Division of Transfusion
Medicine,1 Department of Immunology and
Medical Zoology,3 and First Department
of Internal Medicine,5 Fukui Medical
University, Fukui, Mahara Hospital, Tokushima,2
and Ohara Research Laboratory, Ohara General Hospital,
Fukushima,4 Japan
Received 25 January 2001/Returned for modification 6 March
2001/Accepted 27 March 2001
We report a patient with Japanese spotted fever caused by
Rickettsia japonica who developed shock associated with
hypercytokinemia. Elevated levels of cytokines (macrophage
colony-stimulating factor, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 10, and
gamma interferon) decreased rapidly after a combination treatment using
an antibiotic (minocycline hydrochloride [MINO]) and
methylprednisolone; however, tumor necrosis factor alpha levels were
increased. The patient's fever relapsed and was resolved only after
the addition of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. The administration of new
quinolones alone may be another useful form of treatment to eradicate
R. japonica even if the symptoms of hypercytokinemia appear
to improve with the administration of MINO and methylprednisolone.
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.6.2341-2343.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Fulminant Japanese Spotted Fever Associated
with Hypercytokinemia
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of
Transfusion Medicine, Fukui Medical University, 23-3 Shimoaizuki,
Matsuoka, Fukui 910-1193, Japan. Phone: 81-776-61-8481. Fax:
81-776-61-8152. E-mail:
hiwasaki{at}fmsrsa.fukui-med.ac.jp.
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