Scrub Typhus cases touch 10 in TN, doctors urge timely testing

CHENNAI: As Tamil Nadu records about 10 active cases of Scrub Typhus, doctors warn of medical complications like myocardial infarction, respiratory illnesses, organ damage and coma in affected patients. No deaths due to the disease have been recorded so far in the state.

Doctors say Scrub Typhus is commonly reported in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.

Head of the general medicine department at Stanley Government Medical College Hospital, Dr S Chandrashekhar, explains that mite bites cause the disease; people usually don’t notice it immediately as it is not painful. Symptoms usually appear seven to 10 days after the bite. The symptoms include fever, chills, muscle pain, rashes and headache.

"We see scrub vegetation infested with mites, and humans receive their bites when they come in contact with this scrub," he said, adding that a surge in Scrub Typhus cases is observed in the city.

This infection can cause low platelet count, and that ultimately leads to the failure of organs, including the liver, kidney and heart. Timely testing is critical to administer the right treatment, and late referrals can turn fatal, sometimes even death.

While dengue only affects platelets, which leads to haemorrhage-like complications, Scrub Typhus not only impacts platelets but also can cause Scrub Myocarditis, hepatitis, coagulopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, muscle damage and other illnesses that lead to organ failure.

Doctors say that it is not possible to determine which patient will have a minor infection and who might have a major impact; therefore, it is important to practice caution.

A Vellore-based doctor shares that Scrub Typhus is deadlier than dengue, leptospirosis and malaria but deaths caused by it are attributed to organ damage or myocardial infarction, like how in many cases dengue deaths are often attributed to sepsis. He added that the nature of the cases was severe even three years ago, causing complications.

Though Tamil Nadu reported 6,343 Scrub Typhus cases in 2024, the state health department stated that no deaths were reported. While reporting deaths linked to Scrub Typhus, it is usually cited as the secondary cause as it is only regarded as a co-infection.

"The problem is that there is no testing system for Scrub Typhus in government hospitals, and only clinical symptoms are checked for diagnosis. The fatality rate is very high but a lot of cases are ignored as normal fever," he said.