| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 32
| Issue : 3 | Page : 247-250 |
Recent outbreak of scrub typhus in North Western part of India
Parul Sinha1, Sweta Gupta1, Romika Dawra1, Puneet Rijhawan2
1 Department of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
2 Department of Medicine , Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Correspondence Address:
Sweta Gupta
Department of Microbiology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0255-0857.136552
Background: Scrub typhus usually affects previously healthy active persons and if undiagnosed or diagnosed late, may prove to be life-threatening. Diagnosis of scrub typhus should be largely based on a high index of suspicion and careful clinical, laboratory and epidemiological evaluation. Objective: To describe the diverse clinical and laboratory manifestations of scrub typhus diagnosed in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur. Materials and Methods: All cases of febrile illness diagnosed as scrub typhus over a period of 3 months were analysed. Diagnosis was based on ELISA test for antibody detection against 56 kDa antigen. Results: Forty-two cases of scrub typhus were seen over a period of 3 months (October, 2012-December, 2012). Common symptoms were high grade fever of 4-30 days duration, cough, haemoptysis and breathlessness. Eschar was not seen even in a single patient. Liver enzymes were elevated in nearly all cases (95.9%). Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) was present in 16.66% of our patients (7 out of 42). Hypotension (6 patients, 14.2%), renal impairment (9 out of 15 patients, 60%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (4 patients, 9.52%) and meningitis (4 patients, 9.52%) were some of the important complications. There was a dramatic response to doxycycline in nearly all the patients, but initially when the disease was not diagnosed, seven patients had died. Conclusion: Scrub typhus has emerged as an important cause of febrile illness in Jaipur. Empirical treatment with doxycycline is justified in endemic areas.
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