A case of scrub typhus with lung involvement

: A 65-year-old-woman complained of lumbago from the end of March 2008. Three weeks later, she visited a local clinic because of high fever, and she was given a diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Although levofloxacin was given, her condition did not improve and she was referred to the urology department of our hospital. Two days after hospitalization, she rapidly developed respiratory failure. Chest CT revealed bilateral pleural effusion, interlobular septal thickening, diffuse ground-glass opacities and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. We suspected scrub typhus because we noticed a localized necrotic skin lesion on her left lower leg. When minocycline was administered, both her clinical condition and radiographic imaging promptly improved. Because lung involvement with scrub typhus is very rare in Japan, we report this case of scrub typhus with various lung findings.