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Outbreak of scrub typhus in southern India during the cooler months.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003 Jun; 990:359-64.AN

Abstract

Orientia tsutsugamushi, the agent of scrub typhus, is a strict intracellular bacterium which is found in many parts of Asia including India. During the past few years, the number of patients with rickettsial infection and scrub typhus has increased, especially during the cooler months. We report in this study a recent outbreak of scrub typhus recorded during the cooler months (October 2001 to February 2002) in patients admitted to our hospital with acute febrile illness associated with diverse signs and symptoms. Overall, 28 patients were clinically and serologically confirmed to have scrub typhus. Fever for more than one week was the only common manifestation. Myalgias was the next most common feature (52%), and rash was observed in only 22% of the cases. Seventeen patients treated with doxycycline recovered in 1 to 3 days, as well as two patients who received chloramphenicol. In five patients who received ciprofloxacin, fever subsided only after five days. Finally three patients (10.7%) died, including one patient treated with doxycycline. These data indicate that scrub typhus is a reemerging infectious disease in India with a possibility of drug resistance. This reemergence emphasizes the need for further prospective studies to design effective control measures.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Mathai E
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore 632004, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rolain JM
No affiliation info available
Verghese GM
No affiliation info available
Abraham OC
No affiliation info available
Mathai D
No affiliation info available
Mathai M
No affiliation info available
Raoult D
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdolescentAdultAnti-Bacterial AgentsClimateDisease OutbreaksFemaleFeverHumansIndiaMaleMiddle AgedOrientia tsutsugamushiScrub TyphusSeasonsTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

12860654

Citation

Mathai, E, et al. "Outbreak of Scrub Typhus in Southern India During the Cooler Months." Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 990, 2003, pp. 359-64.
Mathai E, Rolain JM, Verghese GM, et al. Outbreak of scrub typhus in southern India during the cooler months. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003;990:359-64.
Mathai, E., Rolain, J. M., Verghese, G. M., Abraham, O. C., Mathai, D., Mathai, M., & Raoult, D. (2003). Outbreak of scrub typhus in southern India during the cooler months. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 990, 359-64.
Mathai E, et al. Outbreak of Scrub Typhus in Southern India During the Cooler Months. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003;990:359-64. PubMed PMID: 12860654.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Outbreak of scrub typhus in southern India during the cooler months. AU - Mathai,E, AU - Rolain,J M, AU - Verghese,G M, AU - Abraham,O C, AU - Mathai,D, AU - Mathai,M, AU - Raoult,D, PY - 2003/7/16/pubmed PY - 2003/8/16/medline PY - 2003/7/16/entrez SP - 359 EP - 64 JF - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences JO - Ann N Y Acad Sci VL - 990 N2 - Orientia tsutsugamushi, the agent of scrub typhus, is a strict intracellular bacterium which is found in many parts of Asia including India. During the past few years, the number of patients with rickettsial infection and scrub typhus has increased, especially during the cooler months. We report in this study a recent outbreak of scrub typhus recorded during the cooler months (October 2001 to February 2002) in patients admitted to our hospital with acute febrile illness associated with diverse signs and symptoms. Overall, 28 patients were clinically and serologically confirmed to have scrub typhus. Fever for more than one week was the only common manifestation. Myalgias was the next most common feature (52%), and rash was observed in only 22% of the cases. Seventeen patients treated with doxycycline recovered in 1 to 3 days, as well as two patients who received chloramphenicol. In five patients who received ciprofloxacin, fever subsided only after five days. Finally three patients (10.7%) died, including one patient treated with doxycycline. These data indicate that scrub typhus is a reemerging infectious disease in India with a possibility of drug resistance. This reemergence emphasizes the need for further prospective studies to design effective control measures. SN - 0077-8923 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/12860654/Outbreak_of_scrub_typhus_in_southern_India_during_the_cooler_months_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -