Trench fever occurs around the world, usually associated with poor living conditions. It got its name during World War I.
Synonym: Wolhynia fever, His-Werner disease, quintan fever
Organism: Bartonella quintana (formerly Rochalimaea quintana)
Clinical features:
(1) presence of the human body louse
(2) fever - persistent or intermittent (every 5 days = quintan), mild to severe
(3) headache
(4) nausea and vomiting
(5) dizziness
(6) lumbar muscle pain
(7) macular rash without eschar
(8) variable post-infectious debility
It can occur in epidemics, especially during war or natural disasters.
Laboratory findings:
(1) positive serology
(2) positive culture (blood agar incubated in CO2 incubated environment)
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Specialty: Infectious Diseases
ICD-10: ,
