J Korean Radiol Soc.
1995 Jun;32(6):927-931.
Chest Radiographic Findings of Tsutsugamushi Disease and Murine Typhus in Chunchon
Abstract
- PURPOSE
To evaluate the chest radiographic findings of rickettsial disease including murine typhus and
tsutsugamushi disease in Chunchon.
MATERIALS & METHODS: Chest radiographic films of 81 cases diagnosed as rickettsial disease(55 cases of
tsutsugamushi disease, 26 cases of murine typhus) by immunofluorescence test were retrospectively analyzed.
RESULTS
Main serotypes of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi were Gilllain and Karp. Incidence rate of tsutsugamushi
disease was 2.1 times greater than that of murine typhus. Chest radiographs were abnormal in 63.6% of
tsutsugamushi disease, and in 30.8% of murine typhus. Radiographic findings were Kerly's B line, reticu-Ionodular
densities, hilar enlargement, pleural effusion, and splenomegaly in both entities, but pulmonary
consolidation was only found in tsutsugamushi disease. The patients with the abnormal radiographic findings were
statistically well correlated with cardiomegaly(p<0.01) and azygos engorgement(p<0.05), as compared to the
patients with normal radiographic findings.
CONCLUSION
Radiographic findings of both murine typhus and tsutsugamushi disease were interstitial
pattern. But the chest radiographs in patients with tsutsugamushi disease showed more severe pattern with higher
rate of abnormality.