Trends of Scrub Typhus at A Tertiary Care Hospital In Jaipur, Rajasthan

Abstract

Introduction: Rickettsia diseases are now established as re-emerging zoonotic bacterial infections in the Indian subcontinent. Objectives: The retrospective study was conducted to see the trends of scrub typhus with cofactors like disease & sex ratio significance and impact of seasons on the disease outcome in the Jaipur, Rajasthan. Methods: A total of 2233 samples were processed between January 2013 to November 2016 suspecting rickettsia infection with complaints of fever, rash, oedema, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and an eschar, with or without a history of tick exposure at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan. IgM antibodies to Orientia tsutsugamushi antigen were tested by ELISA method. Results: A total of 2233 samples were processed from january 2013 to november 2016. Out of 2233 samples 475 samples were IgM antibody reactive by ELISA method. In 2013 positivity is 36.38% while in 2014 positivity is 24.34%. In 2015, 21.49% positivity rate while jan-nov16, 12.43% positvity. Females are more prone to infection then male patients specially with rural background. Maximum numbers of cases were reported from the month of August to October. Conclusions: Scrub typhus is prevalent but an underdiagnosed disease in India. The prevalence is gradually decreasing with increasing sample size every year with female patients predominence. Trends are more in late rainy season between August and October months. Rickettsia – specific IgM ab ELISA tests can help in early diagnosis & early empiric therapy which can be given to reduce serious complications and mortality. [Manisha JNJIRM 2017; 8(2):9-11]