Life-threatening ANCA-positive vasculitis associated with rickettsial infection

Ashley Nickerson; Paul Ellis Marik

doi:10.1136/bcr.03.2012.5993

Life-threatening ANCA-positive vasculitis associated with rickettsial infection

BMJ Case Rep. 2012 May 30:2012:bcr0320125993. doi: 10.1136/bcr.03.2012.5993.

Authors

Ashley Nickerson¹, Paul Ellis Marik

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Abstract

We present a 47-year-old Caucasian fire fighter who developed multisystem organ failure in the setting of a positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (myeloperoxidase) as well as confirmed Rocky Mountain spotted fever by skin biopsy PCR. This case provided a diagnostic challenge, a rare association of a Rickettsia infection and autoimmune vasculitis as well as a unique management approach.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / immunology*
Biopsy
DNA, Bacterial / analysis
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Rickettsia rickettsii / genetics
Rickettsia rickettsii / immunology
Rickettsia rickettsii / isolation & purification*
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / complications*
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / immunology
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / parasitology
Skin / blood supply
Skin / parasitology
Skin / pathology*
Vasculitis / etiology*
Vasculitis / immunology

Substances

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
DNA, Bacterial