Clinical case of tick-borne rickettsiosis with a fatal outcome in the Novosibirsk Region
DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2025-9-12-13
A.N. Vyazhevich1,2, E.I. Krasnova1, E.I. Bondarenko3, L.L. Pozdnyakova2, V.V. Provorova1, S.N. Shpynov4, N.I. Khokhlova1, O.M. Shishkova2
1Novosibirsk State Medical University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
2Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital, Station Village Council, Novosibirsk Region, Russian Federation
3"Vector-Best" JSC, Koltsovo, Russian Federation
4Omsk Research Institute of Natural Focal Infections of Rospotrebnadzor, Omsk, Russian Federation
Tick-borne rickettsiosis (TBR) is one of the widespread tick-borne infections in Russia. The article presents a clinical follow-up of a fatal case of TBR, caused by Rickettsia sibirica, in an elderly female patient in the Novosibirsk Region. The disease was characterized by high fever, intoxication, serous meningitis, the appearance of a maculopapular rash on the 7th day of illness, and bilateral pneumonia. The condition was complicated by the development of cerebral and pulmonary edema, which led to a fatal outcome on the 10th day of illness. The diagnosis of TBR was confirmed by detecting R. sibirica DNA in the patient's blood and autopsy material. Existing diagnostic methods for TBR have limitations, including difficulty in verification when typical symptoms are absent and low availability of serological tests in practical laboratories. Therefore, the use of modern molecular genetic research methods helps confirm the diagnosis of TBR in the shortest possible time and initiate appropriate antibiotic therapy promptly. The high accuracy of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method allows for reliable confirmation of the diagnosis, even when the clinical presentation lacks characteristic manifestations.
Keywords: tick-borne rickettsiosis, Rickettsia sibirica, rickettsiosis complications, tick-borne infections, polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
For citation: Vyazhevich A.N., Krasnova E.I., Bondarenko E.I., Pozdnyakova L.L., Provorova V.V., Shpynov S.N., Khokhlova N.I., Shishkova O.M. Clinical case of tick-borne rickettsiosis with a fatal outcome in the Novosibirsk Region. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2025;9(12):920–926 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2025-9-12-13
About the authors:
Anna N. Vyazhevich — Assistant Professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Novosibirsk State Medical University; 52, Krasny Ave, Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Region, 630091, Russian Federation; infectious disease physician, Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital; 15, Berezovaya str., Klyuchevoy Residential Area, Sadovy Settlement, Station Village Council, Novosibirsk Municipal District, Novosibirsk Region, 630531, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-6387-3939
Elena I. Krasnova — infectious disease physician, Dr. Sc. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Novosibirsk State Medical University; 52, Krasny Ave., Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Region, 630091, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0003-2625-5442
Evgeniy I. Bondarenko — C. Sc. (Med.), Researcher, PCR Laboratory, "Vector-Best" JSC; office 211, build. 36, Research and Production Zone, Koltsovo Work Settlement, Novosibirsk Region, 630559, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-4699-9548
Larisa L. Pozdnyakova — C. Sc. (Med.), Chief Medical Officer of the Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital; 15, Berezovaya str., Klyuchevoy Residential Area, Sadovy Settlement, Station Village Council, Novosibirsk
Municipal District, Novosibirsk Region, 630531, Russian Federation.
Veronika V. Provorova — Infectious Disease Physician, C. Sc. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, Novosibirsk State Medical University; 52, Krasny Ave., Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Region, 630091, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-3475-9934
Stanislav N. Shpynov — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Chief Researcher, Laboratory of Zoonotic Infections with a Group for Tick-borne Rickettsioses, Omsk Research Institute of Natural Focal Infections of Rospotrebnadzor; 7, Mira Ave., Omsk, Omsk Region, 644050, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-4550-3459
Olga M. Shishkova — pathologist, Novosibirsk Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital; 15, Berezovaya str., Klyuchevoy Residential Area, Sadovy Settlement, Station Village Council, Novosibirsk Municipal District, Novosibirsk Region, 630531, Russian Federation.
Natalia I. Khokhlova — infectious disease physician, C. Sc. (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Novosibirsk State Medical University; 52, Krasny Ave., Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Region, 630091, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0003-4497-3173
Contact information: Anna N. Vyazhevich, e-mail: dr.anna.oleynik@mail.ru
Financial Disclosure: no authors have a financial or property interest in any material or method mentioned.
There is no conflict of interest.
Received 20.08.2025.
Revised 12.09.2025.
Accepted 07.10.2025.
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