Rickettsial infections of the central nervous system

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019 Aug 29;13(8):e0007469. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007469. eCollection 2019 Aug.

Abstract

As a result of migrations and globalization, people may face a possible increase in the incidence of central nervous system rickettsial infections (CNS R). These diseases, caused by Rickettsia species and transmitted to humans by arthropod bites, are putatively lethal. However, the diagnosis of CNS R is challenging and often delayed due to their nonspecific clinical presentation and the strict intracellular nature of rickettsiae. Furthermore, transfer of rickettsiae to the brain parenchyma is not yet understood. The aim of this review is to analyze and summarize the features and correlated findings of CNS R in order to focus attention on these intriguing but frequently neglected illnesses. We also incorporated data on CNS infections caused by Rickettsia-related microorganisms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Boutonneuse Fever / microbiology
  • Brain
  • Central Nervous System / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Parenchymal Tissue / microbiology
  • Rickettsia / classification
  • Rickettsia / pathogenicity*
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / therapy
  • Rickettsia Infections / transmission
  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever / microbiology
  • Scrub Typhus / microbiology
  • Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis / microbiology
  • Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / microbiology

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the following projects: APVV-0280-12, “Štefanik“ APVV-SK-FR-2017-0005, VEGA 2/0010/19, and the French National Research Agency under the program “investissements d’avenir,” reference ANR-10-IAHU-03. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.