Scrub typhus induced by peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the immunocompromised patient: diagnostic usefulness of nested polymerase chain reaction

TitleScrub typhus induced by peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the immunocompromised patient: diagnostic usefulness of nested polymerase chain reaction
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsKang SJ, Park KH, Jung SI, Jang HC, Ji SY, Ahn JS, Kim HJ, Shin JH, Kim DM
JournalTransfusion
Volume50
Issue2
Pagination467 - 70
Date PublishedFeb
Type of ArticleCase Reports
ISSN1537-2995 (Electronic) 0041-1132 (Linking)
Accession Number19843286
KeywordsAdult, Antibodies, Bacterial / blood, Base Sequence, Diagnostic Errors, DNA, Bacterial / genetics, Female, Fever / etiology, Graft vs Host Disease / diagnosis, Humans, Immunocompromised Host, Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects, Infectious Disease Incubation Period, Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / *complications / surgery, Living Donors, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Orientia tsutsugamushi / genetics / immunology / *isolation & purification, Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / *adverse effects, Polymerase Chain Reaction / *methods, Scrub Typhus / diagnosis / microbiology / *transmission, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects
Abstract

Scrub typhus (Orientia tsutsugamushi) is a Gram-negative rickettsial disease in parts of Asia, transmitted from wild rodents to human by mites. This is a case report of scrub typhus contraction in an acute leukemia patient by transfusion of peripheral blood stem cells collected during the incubation period. Although human-to-human transmission of scrub typhus by needle-stick injury or transplacental transmission has previously been reported, this is the first case confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. This type of incident shows the need to heighten awareness of the threat of rickettsial agents in transfused blood. Nested PCR is a useful diagnostic method to confirm the diagnosis during incubation period and in the early phase of disease, especially for immunocompromised patients.

DOI10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02442.x
Alternate JournalTransfusion
Notify Library Reference ID754

Related Incidents