Warning about scrub typhus, which can be mistaken for flu and can cause liver damage and meningitis

The case of an elderly patient in Phu Tho with severe scrub typhus who was recently treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases shows that the disease is still latent in rural environments and can cause dangerous complications.

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)

On the afternoon of November 11, the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases informed about a case of a patient with severe scrub typhus, with complications of pneumonia, liver damage and risk of meningitis.

Female patient TTK (81 years old, Phu Tho ), with a history of type 2 diabetes, started the disease with a continuous high fever of 39 - 40 degrees Celsius, accompanied by headache, fatigue and loss of appetite. The patient's skin had a scattered rash on the back. The fever did not respond to common antipyretics and antibiotics.

The patient treated himself at home for many days but saw no improvement.

After 5 days, the patient was taken to a local medical facility for examination. Despite intensive treatment, the patient's condition did not improve. The patient continued to have persistent fever, persistent headache, impaired consciousness, nocturnal delirium, and loss of appetite.

The disease progressed silently but became more and more severe. On the 9th day, the patient was transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

There, doctors discovered a round, black-scaly ulcer in the armpit, a typical but easily overlooked sign of scrub typhus. A quick test for Orientia Tsutsugamushi IgM antibodies was positive. Tests showed a slight increase in white blood cells and a decrease in platelets, warning of potential sepsis.

The patient was treated with specific antibiotics and closely monitored for the diagnosis: severe scrub typhus, complications of pneumonia, liver damage and risk of meningitis.

According to the family, the patient lived in a rural area, had a garden and fence where he regularly grew vegetables and did gardening. This is an important epidemiological factor, increasing the risk of exposure to the larvae of parasitic mites on rats, living in low, damp grass around the house.

Specialist Doctor I Le Van Thieu, Department of General Infections said: “Tick fever is an acute infection caused by Orientia Tsutsugamushi bacteria, transmitted through tick larvae, not adult ticks. Tick larvae parasitize rats, live in bushes, rice fields and wet areas. When biting people, they leave round, painless, non-itchy ulcers that are easily missed if not examined carefully. Common locations are the armpits, groin, behind the ears, under the breasts, around the navel...

According to doctors, the early symptoms of scrub typhus are easily confused with those of the flu: fever, headache, fatigue, rash... so they are often diagnosed late or missed. If not treated promptly with specific antibiotics, the disease can progress rapidly to pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, liver failure and be life-threatening, especially in the elderly and those with underlying diseases.

“Sometimes, a forgotten bite is the key to saving a patient. Exploiting epidemiological factors such as gardening, weeding, contact with wet bushes and examining the whole body for ulcers are extremely important to avoid missing the disease,” Dr. Thieu emphasized.

Doctors recommend: “When fever persists for an unknown reason, especially after exposure to bushes, fields and gardens, you should go to a medical facility for examination to rule out tick fever and dangerous infectious diseases. Take the initiative to prevent the disease by wearing long clothes, using insect repellent, clearing bushes, and killing rats, especially during the rainy season when the disease is likely to break out.”

According to VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/canh-bao-ve-benh-sot-mo-de-nham-voi-cum-co-the-gay-ton-thuong-gan-viem-mang-nao-526352.html