A recent study has revealed that scrub typhus infection could be an “under-recognised” leading cause of hospitalisations for fever, accounting for almost 30 per cent of the cases.
The study, conducted by the Christian Medical College, Vellore, and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), observed over 32,000 individuals from 37 rural areas in Tamil Nadu.
The scrub typhus infection is spread by the bite of an infected larval mite (chigger). Chiggers are found on grass, plant litter and bare soil across rural areas of Asia, and usually feed on small mammals such as rats and shrews.
Can scrub typhus cause death?
Scrub typhus is caused by the bacterium ‘Orientia tsutsugamushi’, which belongs to the rickettsia family. Severe illness due to the infection, if left untreated, can cause death. Rural areas in India are among the most affected by the potentially life-threatening infection
Is scrub typhus dangerous?
Scrub typhus infection can affect multiple organs and can lead to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), shock, meningitis and kidney failure. In rare cases, scrub typhus infection can result in disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and hemophagocytic syndrome.
Scrub typhus symptoms and treatment
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scrub typhus symptoms begin within 10 days of onset of the infection. The symptoms are:
-Body aches and muscle pain
-A dark, scab-like region at the site of the bite
-Mental changes like confusion and coma
Scrub typhus should be treated with the antibiotic doxycycline, as per the CDC. Antibiotics are most effective if given soon after symptoms begin. People who are treated on time using doxycycline usually have quick recoveries.
Scrub typhus complications
Scrub typhus, if left untreated for prolonged periods of time, can lead to severe and fatal complications. These include, but are not limited to, multiple organ dysfunction, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death.
Scrub typhus test
Serological methods are the mainstay for diagnosing scrub typhus. The tests include Weil-Felix testing, indirect immunofluorescent antibody test, indirect immunoperoxidase test, enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays, immunochromatographic tests, and bacterial culture among others.
