SCRUB TYPHUS

Scrub typhus is a major public health threat in South and Southeast Asia.

Key details:

• As per estimates, nearly one million cases are reported from South and Southeast Asia with 10% mortality.
• India is one of the hotspots with at least 25% of the disease burden.
• A trial carried out in India where patients were received a combination therapy of both doxycycline and azithromycin showed faster resolution of complications compared with patients  who were given monotherapy of either doxycycline or azithromycin.

About scrub typhus:

• Scrub typhus is also known as bush typhus.
• It is caused by bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi.
• Scrub typhus is spread to people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites).
• Most cases of scrub typhus occur in rural areas of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia.

Treatment

• Scrub typhus should be treated with the antibiotics.
• No vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB