Israeli rickettsial spotted fever in children. A review of 54 cases.

We observed and recorded clinical and laboratory data from 54 children with fever and a maculo-papular rash admitted to Soroka Medical Center, Beersheva, Israel suffering from serologically confirmed rickettsial spotted fever. The rash generally began on the palms and soles and extended centripetally to the torso. Other clinical findings included myalgia, headache, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly. None had a "tache noire". A left shift in the white cells, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyponatraemia and impaired liver function tests were common laboratory abnormalities. All recovered following oral doxycycline therapy. Serious sequelae such as myocarditis, encephalitis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation, as reported in Rocky Mountain spotted fever, did not occur.