SCRUB TYPHUS DISEASE

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 SCRUB TYPHUS DISEASE

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• The organism: According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scrub typhus is a disease caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi. Symptoms include fever and chills, headache, body aches, rashes and muscle pain.
• First reports: The medical teams took samples from people in Koh village of Mathura district after reports of infection from the area. These samples were later found to be infected with scrub typhus.
• Other name: Scrub typhus is also known as bush typhus. The infection spreads to people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites).
• Symptoms: The symptoms of scrub typhus are similar to symptoms of many other vector-borne or rickettsial diseases and usually begin within 10 days of being bitten, according to CDC. These include fever and chills, headache, body aches, rashes and muscle pain.
• Demand-supply position of edible oils in India: The site where the chigger bites develops a dark, scab-like region, which is also known as eschar. After contracting the infection, a person can experience mental changes, ranging from confusion to coma. Some of the patients also develop joint pains, which is characteristic of chikungunya. The infection can lead to respiratory distress, inflammation of the brain and the lungs, kidney failure and then multi-organ failure, ultimately leading to death.
• Treatment: Till date, no vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus. The risk of contracting the infection can be minimised by avoiding contact with infected chiggers. When travelling to regions where scrub typhus is common, people should avoid areas with lots of vegetation and brush where chiggers may be found.
• Practical advice: If someone gets infected by scrub typhus, the person should be treated with the antibiotic doxycycline. People who are treated early with doxycycline usually recover quickly, according to the agency. People should dress children in clothing that covers arms and legs, or cover crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito netting in order to keep scrub typhus at bay. Treating clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin as it kills chiggers is also advised.

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