RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Clinical, virological, and pathological findings in a fatal case of Q fever endocarditis
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 235
OP 241
DO 10.1136/jcp.15.3.235
VO 15
IS 3
A1 Ferguson, I. C.
A1 Craik, J. E.
A1 Grist, N. R.
YR 1962
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/15/3/235.abstract
AB A case resembling subacute bacterial endocarditis in which blood cultures were repeatedly negative is described. The patient had had an influenza-like illness nine months before admission to hospital followed by intervening vague illness and loss of weight. Serological tests revealed a high titre of complement-fixing antibodies to phase 1 and phase 2 antigens of Rickettsia burneti. After death R. burneti was isolated from the diseased aortic valve, liver, and kidneys. Bodies morphologically resembling rickettsiae were seen in the aortic valve and in a very few renal tubule cells. No specific pathological lesions were found but there was a widespread stimulation of reticulo-endothelial cells particularly in the aortic valve cusps, spleen, lymph nodes, and renal glomeruli. It is suggested that tests for Q fever should be carried out in suspected cases of subacute bacterial endocarditis when blood culture is negative.