Recent cases of co-infection of scrub typhus and leptospirosis: A short clinical study

Abstract

Scrub typhus and leptospirosis are bacterial zoonotic diseases causing high morbidity and mortality. Both are important causes of acute febrile illness in India. The common epidemiology of both the diseases creates an opportunity of dual infections with these diseases. The present study was conducted at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to determine simultaneous infection of leptospirosis and scrub typhus in sera of febrile patients and evaluate the cases of serological dual infections. IgM antibodies to both leptospira and scrub typhus were detected by Enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). During the study period (August 2022-October 2022), serum samples of patients were received for serology for scrub typhus. Out of these samples, 5 patients diagnosed for scrub typhus infection also had IgM antibodies to leptospira, thus indicating co-infection of both diseases. The current study adds further to few previously published reports on co-infection of scrub typhus with leptospirosis. As both leptospirosis and scrub typhus present with similar clinical features, co-infection of these two diseases is not uncommon and requires further confirmation at molecular level. Accordingly, cases of dual infections must be considered seriously and choice of therapy should include those drugs that cover for both the infections.