Scrub typhus.

Abstract

Scrub typhus, a dreaded disease in pre-antibiotic era, is an important military disease which caused thousands of cases in the Far East during Second World War. It is a zoonosis and is a widespread disease in Asia and Pacific Islands. Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness which generally causes non-specific symptoms and signs. The clinical manifestations of this disease range from sub-clinical disease to organ failure to fatal disease. Deaths are attributable to late presentation, delayed diagnosis, and drug resistance. The public health importance of this disease is underestimated because of difficulties with clinical diagnosis and lack of laboratory methods in many geographical areas. Scrub typhus is known to occur all over India and physicians should be aware of this potentially serious but easily treatable disease.