Spotted fever rickettsioses. Study of cases reported in a secondary care pediatric hospital of northeastern Mexico, 2012-2022

Abstract

Background: Spotted fever rickettsiosis is a serious disease with a high mortality rate if not timely detected. Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients hospitalized for spotted fever rickettsiosis, as well as the risk factors associated with poor prognosis. Material and methods: Data from medical records of patients hospitalized between August 2012 and July 2022 were collected. Variables were analyzed using Mann-Whitney’s U-test, Fisher’s exact test, and univariate or multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Twenty-six patients were analyzed, among which a mortality of 57.6% was identified. In the between-group comparison, platelet count was lower in non-survivors (16.0 × 103/µL vs. 25.9 × 103/µL, p = 0.031). The percentage of surviving patients who received treatment more than 72 hours after fever onset was 45.5% (five patients) vs. 86.7% of non-survivors (13 patients) (p = 0.034). Receiving treatment 72 hours after fever onset increased by 7.09 times the probability of a fatal outcome (OR = 8.09, 95% CI = 1.1-55.8, p = 0.034). Conclusions: Starting adequate treatment 72 hours after the onset of fever may be an important risk factor for mortality, hence the importance of timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of this disease.