UP: Mathura Records 29 Cases of Scrub Typhus; What is it?

Scrub typhus is caused by a bacterium called Orientia tsutsugamushi.

The health authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura issued an alert to other districts of the state after 29 patients, aged between 2 and 45 years, were diagnosed with mite-borne rickettsiosis, also known as 'scrub typhus' on Sunday, 29 August.

(Photo: iStockphoto)

The health authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura issued an alert to other districts of the state after 29 patients, aged between 2 and 45, were diagnosed with mite-borne rickettsiosis, also known as 'scrub typhus' on Sunday, 29 August.

As per a report by IANS, the patients are currently being treated for the infection and no fatality has been recorded.

Additional Director of Health Department, Mathura, AK Singh had said, "Required medicines have been provided to the patients and none of them is critical. We have issued an alert regarding its spread to other districts," IANS quoted.

On Monday, Congress General Secretary in-charge, Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appealed for provision of better health facilities in the state.

"Firozabad, Mathura, Agra and other places in UP, children and adults have died due to fever which is heart-wrenching. UP government should step in immediately to control the disease and provide better health facilities."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra | Congress General Secretary in-charge Uttar Pradesh

What is Scrub Typhus?

As per the US CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), scrub typhus is caused by bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is present in the bites of the Trombiculidae mites, also called red mites, chiggers, or scrub-itch mites.

The common symptoms of this disease include fever, chills, headache, body ache, enlarged lymph nodes and occasionally body rashes. In critical cases, it can cause pneumonitis, encephalitis, congestive heart failure or even, a coma.

However, it cannot spread through person-to-person transmission and although there is no vaccine for the disease, it is curable.

According to AK Singh, "Early diagnosis is important. Patients are put on antibiotics and they recover fully after a week-long course of treatment," IANS quoted.

The most effective way of detecting the bacteria is reported to be laboratory testing of blood samples.