Abstract

Background: Rickettsial diseases are responsible for a substantial proportion of undiagnosed febrile illnesses in the tropics. Scrub Typhus is prevalent in many parts of India. It is difficult to diagnose as the symptoms and signs are often nonspecific. Untreated cases have high fatality rates if not promptly diagnosed. So awareness of the clinical manifestations of the disease will help in early diagnosis.

Aim: The aim of the study is to describe the clinical manifestations and complications of scrub typhus in adult patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Chennai.

Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care hospital between January 2015 and   December 2016. Adult patients admitted with history of fever and diagnosed to have scrub typhus based on positive IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi were included in the study. The patients were analysed for the clinical manifestations and complications of the disease.

Results: A total of 50 patients were studied during this period. The duration of fever was 7 to 14 days in 37 patients (74%). The common symptoms were myalgia (66%) and cough (42%). An eschar was seen in 29 patients (58%). The common complications were thrombocytopenia (58%) and hepatitis (48%).

Conclusion: Scrub Typhus is one of the causes of undifferentiated fever in the tropics. The complications usually develop after the first week of the illness. A thorough search for an eschar must be made in all cases. Prompt recognition of the signs and symptoms will lead to good outcomes.

Keywords: Scrub typhus- Clinical manifestations and Complications – an analysis.