The first pediatric cohort of Rickettsia conorii infection in Palestine: A five-year multicenter epidemiological and clinical analysis.

BACKGROUND

Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), caused by Rickettsia conorii (R. conorii), remains an underrecognized vector-borne zoonosis in the Mediterranean basin. Pediatric data from endemic areas, particularly Palestine, are scarce. This study describes the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of pediatric R. conorii infection across multiple centers in Palestine.

METHODS

A retrospective multicenter cohort (January 2021 - September 2025) included all PCR-confirmed pediatric R. conorii cases at two tertiary hospitals (Al-Makassed Hospital, Jerusalem; Caritas Baby Hospital, Bethlehem). Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and outcome data were collected. Continuous variables were summarized as mean±SD or median (IQR), and categorical variables as frequencies/percentages. Categorical associations were tested by Chi-square or Fisher's exact test; continuous variables by independent-samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman's rank correlation assessed correlations between clinical/laboratory parameters, and hospitalization duration; p < 0.05 was significant.

RESULTS

Eighteen children with PCR-confirmed R. conorii infection were identified (median age 4 years; 56% male). All cases were locally acquired, predominantly from Hebron (61%), and clustered in summer. Fever and rash were universal (100%); eschar was rare (6%). Gastrointestinal symptoms occurred in 44%, neurological involvement in 28%, and arthralgia/myalgia in 33%. Laboratory abnormalities included thrombocytopenia (56%), hyponatremia (78%), elevated transaminases (83%), and markedly raised C-reactive protein. Median delay from symptom onset to doxycycline initiation was 5 days. All patients received doxycycline, with rapid defervescence and full recovery; no deaths or severe complications occurred. Hospital stay was short (median 5 days) and descriptively longer with later doxycycline initiation.

CONCLUSIONS

This first pediatric cohort in Palestine supports MSF as endemic, seasonally clustered, and largely benign when promptly treated. Fever with rash, even without eschar, may raise suspicion for rickettsiosis in summer. Early recognition and empirical doxycycline therapy remain key to preventing morbidity. Enhanced surveillance and clinician awareness are essential to improve diagnosis and control of pediatric MSF in the region.