National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)
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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Scrub typhus (ST) is an acute febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. ST has been considered as one of the most emerging infections in India as shown by the increase in the number of clinically diagnosed patients in various states except Uttar Pradesh. The present study was undertaken to look for ST amongst patients presenting with suggestive pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) at a tertiary care centre in Uttar Pradesh. 324 serum samples from clinically suspected cases collected over a period of one year were analysed for the presence of rickettsial antibodies through Weil felix test and specific IgM antibodies against O. tsusugamushi by ELISA. Samples were also tested for other common causes of fever prevalent in this region. Eighty two (25.30%) sera were found to be positive for Weil feix test and 64 (19.75%) for IgM antibodies against O. tsusugamushi. Positivity was significantly higher among males (P < 0.05) between 0 and 15 yrs of age. The common symptoms noted were fever, myalgias, hepatosplenomegaly, and gastrointestinal complaints, followed by breathlessness, rash and jaundice. Fever was the most common manifestation (100%) and the pathognomonic feature; eschar was present only in 2 (3.1%) patients. Our results showed that scrub typhus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illness and empirical treatment with doxycycline may be given in cases with strong suspicion of scrub typhus.
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