Scrub Typhus In Children Research Articles

Scrub Typhus in Children at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Odisha: A Study on Clinical, Laboratory Profile, Complications and Its Outcome

Background: To study the clinical profile, laboratory parameters, complications and outcome of scrub typhus in children. Methods: One hundred children with undiagnosed febrile illness admitted to our hospital from Aug 2014 to Nov 2014 were included in the study. All children were tested for scrub typhus using a commercial ELISA kit for specific IgM antibodies against Orientia tsutsugamushi. Results: Out of 100 children admitted to our hospital, only 50(50%) patients had positive IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi. 30(60%) cases had fever of 5 to 10 days duration and 20(40%) cases had fever of more than 10 days duration. Vomiting with abdominal pain was reported in 20 (40%) cases, Lymphadenopathy in 18 (36%), hepatosplenomegaly in 35 (70%), generalized edema in 18 (36%) patients. Eschar was seen in 25(50%) patients. Most common abnormal laboratory parameters were raised SGOT, thrombocytopenia, raised bilirubin, raised CRP, leukocytosis and anemia. Most common complications were shock and electrolyte disturbances. Conclusion: In children Scrub typhus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illness associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy .Prompt antibiotic treatment for scrub typhus should be given in cases with strong clinical suspicion to prevent morbidity and mortality.

Clinical profile of scrub typhus in children treated in a tertiary care hospital in eastern India

Background and objectiveOdisha in the eastern region of India has been witnessing an increased incidence of pediatric scrub typhus. The present study was undertaken to study the clinical profile, laboratory parameters, complications and efficacy to therapy in scrub typhus. DesignProspective observational study. Material and MethodsTotal 71 children up to 14 years of age who had fever for more than 5 days without an identifiable cause were included in the study. All suspected cases were tested with Weil-Felix test (OX-K≥1:80 positive) and IgM antibody (ELISA) against Orientia tsutsugamushi. All IgM positive cases were further studied for response to Azithromycin therapy. ResultsTwenty six children were diagnosed with scrub typhus between July 2015 and December 2015. The age of patients ranged from eleven months to twelve years. Majority of patients (69.2%) were from rural areas. The common symptoms were fever, headache, hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy and serosal effusions. Eschar was seen only in 30.7% of cases. Leucocytosis was seen in 76.9% of cases and 61.5% of cases had anicteric hepatitis. Commonest complications seen were hepatitis (61.5%) and pneumonia (38.4%). All cases responded well to azithromycin therapy. ConclusionsOur result showed that scrub typhus should be suspected in all cases of fever without an identifiable cause irrespective of age. Serosal effusions and anicteric hepatitis must raise the possibility of scrub typhus among clinicians.

Clinical profile of scrub typhus in relation with malaria and dengue seasonal outbreak from semi desert area of Rajasthan, India

Background: Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by rickettsial bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi. The disease is endemic in many parts of India. Recent appearance of cases from semi desert district of Rajasthan is highly concerning. The aim and objectives of the study was to present epidemiological demographic profile and distribution, clinical manifestation, laboratory Findings and treatment outcomes of scrub typhus in children. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional observational stud, ten cases were included having positive IgM antibody against Orientia tsutsugamushi. Their clinical details were taken along with complete physical examination. Laboratory testing included complete blood count, liver function tests, renal function tests, urine analysis, blood & urine cultures. Results: Of ten children, mean age were 9.7±2.40 years, male, female ratio 1.5, mean duration of hospital stay 7±2.35 days. Fever (100%) was most common presenting symptom and mean duration was 6.8±2.78 days. Other features were tachycardia (80%), tachypnoea (70%), heptoslenomegaly (70%), swelling (60%), vomiting (60%), abdominal pain (40%), rashes (40%), bleeding (30%) and seizures (20%). Thrombocytopenia (80%) and mild elevated liver enzymes were present in most of the cases. Eschar was present only in two (20%) cases. Nine cases were successfully treated with doxycycline and one mortality due to CNS involvement. Conclusions: Our study emphasizes that pediatric scrub typhus should be suspected when patient presents with high grade fever with heptoslenomegaly with or without eschar mark along with thrombocytopenia and elevated liver enzymes. Early diagnosis could reduce the morbidity and mortality. Drugs useful are Doxycycline, Azithromycin or Chloramphenicol.

Scrub typhus: A common rickettsial disease emerging in a new geographical region of north India

Scrub typhus is a commonly encountered rickettsial disease of the Indian subcontinent. In India, scrub typhus is being now reported from several areas where it was previously unknown. We report clinical profile and complications of an outbreak of scrub typhus in children from the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, a region not previously known to have endemic disease. We describe the results of a prospective observational study of children with scrub typhus, at a tertiary hospital during the year 2013. The diagnosis was confirmed serologically by an IgM ELISA test. Sixty-two children were diagnosed with scrub typhus. All presented with fever. Other common symptoms were vomiting (59%), facial swelling (53%), cough (24%), abdominal pain (35%), breathlessness (26%) and decreased urine output (21%). High grade fever (> 101 o F) was recorded in 95% of the children. Other common signs observed in cases of scrub typhus were hepatomegaly (77%), splenomegaly (63%), edema (37%), tender lymphadenopathy (42%) and hypotension (35%). An eschar was observed in 23% of patients. Meningoencephalitis (30.6%), severe thrombocytopenia (27.4%), shock (17.7%), hepatitis (16.1%) and acute kidney injury (11.3%) were the most commonly encountered complications. Eighty-seven percent of children became afebrile within 48 hours of initiating an appropriate anti- biotic. Median time to defervescence was 24 hours. The overall mortality rate was 6.4%. Pediatricians should keep a high index of suspicion for scrub typhus in any febrile child having a maculopapular rash, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, thrombocytopenia and features suggestive of capillary leak. Pending serological confirmation, early empirical therapy with doxycycline or azithromycin should be started, as delay in treatment would result in life threatening complications.

Atypical presentation of scrub typhus in children

Abstract Scrub typhus commonly presents with rash, lymphadenopathy, and nonspecific symptoms after a prodrome of 4–5 days. CNS complications are known associations with it, but presenting with neurological symptoms is an uncommon presentation, especially in children. We report a rare case of scrub typhus presenting with refractory seizures in a 9-year-old child, not previously reported in children from India.

Clinical profile of scrub typhus in children and its association with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

To study the clinical profile of children with scrub typhus and its association with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Children presenting with unexplained fever and multi-systemic involvement between May to December 2011 were tested for scrub typhus using IgM ELISA kits. Occurrence of Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in IgM positive cases of scrub typhus was studied. Of the 35 children with unexplained fever and multi-systemic involvement, 15 children (9 boys) tested positive for scrub typhus. Thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia and raised hepatic transaminases were observed in all children. Out of seven children evaluated for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. 3 met the criteria for hemophagocytosis. Two children (one with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) died. Scrub typhus is a common cause of unexplained fever in children in northern India. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis can occasionally complicate scrub typhus in children.

Scrub typhus

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted to humans by the bite of the larva of trombiculid mites. It causes a disseminated vasculitic and perivascular inflammatory lesions resulting in significant vascular leakage and end-organ injury. It affects people of all ages and even though scrub typhus in pregnancy is uncommon, it is associated with increased foetal loss, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age infants. After an incubation period of 6-21 days, onset is characterized by fever, headache, myalgia, cough, and gastrointestinal symptoms. A primary papular lesion which later crusts to form a flat black eschar, may be present. If untreated, serious complications may occur involving various organs. Laboratory studies usually reveal leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, deranged hepatic and renal function, proteinuria and reticulonodular infiltrate. Owing to the potential for severe complications, diagnosis, and decision to initiate treatment should be based on clinical suspicion and confirmed by serologic tests. A therapeutic trial of tetracycline or chloramphenicol is indicated in patients in whom the diagnosis of scrub typhus is suspected. The recommended treatment regimen for scrub typhus is doxycycline. Alternative regimens include tetracycline, chloramphenicol, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, rifampicin, and roxithromycin. Treatment of pregnant women with azithromycin was successfully done without relapse and with favorable pregnancy outcomes. Hence, early diagnosis and treatment are essential in order to reduce the mortality and the complications associated with the disease. We searched the English-language literature for reports of scrub typhus in children, pregnant women, and non-pregnant patients with scrub typhus, using the MEDLINE/PubMed database, which includes citations from 1945 to the present time. We used the search terms ‘scrub typhus’, ‘scrub typhus’ and ‘pregnancy’, ‘scrub typhus’ and ‘children’, ‘scrub typhus’ and ‘complications’, ‘scrub typhus’ and ‘treatment’.

Clinical Profile of Scrub Typhus in Children

To study the clinical profile and outcome of scrub typhus cases admitted in an urban referral centre. This descriptive study describes the clinical profile of 67 children with scrub typhus, who were admitted in an urban referral centre(ICH & HC,Chennai) during the period between October 2010 and March 2011.The diagnosis was confirmed by IgM ELISA. All children presented with fever. Eschar and rash were present in 46% and 35% cases, respectively. Cough, vomiting, altered sensorium and oliguria were present in 73%,59%,58% and 43%, respectively. Hepatosplenomegaly and pallor were the commonest findings encountered in more than 80% children. Other findings were edema, lymphadenopathy and icterus.Thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes and leukocytosis were seen in 77%, 64% and 49% cases, respectively. Pleural effusion, ascites, shock and respiratory failure were seen in 61%, 47%,45%,34% cases, respectively. Acute renal failure, hepatic failure, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), meningoencephalitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) were seen in 10%,10%,7%,6% and 4% cases, respectively. Doxycycline and azithromycin were the antibiotics used. The overall mortality rate was 11.94%. Causes of death were shock, ARDS, acute renal failure(ARF), MODS and disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIVC). When a child presents with acute febrile illness, maculopapular or erythematous rash, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, thrombocytopenia and features suggestive of capillary leak, diagnosis of Scrub typhus must be considered and the child should be started on empirical therapy with doxycycline or azithromycin which is life saving.

Scrub typhus in children at a tertiary hospital in southern India: Clinical profile and complications

To study the clinical profile of and complications in children with scrub typhus. Prospective observational study. Tertiary care hospital. Children up to 12 years of age who had a fever for more than five days without an identifiable infection were included. All children who were suspected of having rickettsial infections were defined as having scrub typhus if they had a positive Weil-Felix test result (OX-K 1:80 or more) and one or more of the following clinical features (after exclusion of other diagnoses): rash, edema, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, an eschar, and a tick bite or tick exposure. Thirty-five children were diagnosed with scrub typhus between February 2010 and February 2011. The age of the patients ranged from 1.5 to 12 years. Edema, crackles/rhonchi, hepatomegaly and hypotension were encountered in 60%, 23%, 91% and 34% of patients, respectively. An eschar was observed in 11% of the cases. Complications included myocarditis with cardiogenic shock in 34% of the cases and acute kidney injury in 20% of the cases. Anicteric hepatitis and thrombocytopenia were observed in 31% and 61% of cases, respectively. One patient died. High incidences of myocarditis and acute kidney injury were observed, which indicates that the children were treated at a late stage of the disease. Clinicians should be cognizant that myocarditis and acute kidney injury are serious manifestations of pediatric scrub typhus.

Acute fulminant myocarditis in scrub typhus

Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi in which humans are accidental hosts. It is a febrile illness which is confined to rural Asia and the Western Pacific islands. Severe complications are very rare. We report four cases of acute fulminant myocarditis in children with scrub typhus. This complication led to severe cardiogenic shock and death in two of them. We believe this is the first report of fulminant myocarditis complicating scrub typhus in children.

Clinical manifestations and epidemic factors of autumn-winter type scrub typhus in children from northern new endemic area

Scrub typhus is an infectious disease due to Orientia tsutsugamushi transmitted by infected chigger mites. Scrub typhus has long been recognized to occur in southern areas of China, but has recently been increasingly often reported from the north since the first case was reported in Mengyin County, Shandong Province in 1986. The key objectives of the present study were to investigate the clinical manifestations and epidemic factors of scrub typhus in children from the northern new natural foci. The case records of 56 children with scrub typhus who were admitted to the 5 hospitals of Fei County from September 1993 to January 2004 were reviewed. Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) was isolated from the cases. Based on ecological observations on the composition, seasonal fluctuation of animal hosts and chigger mites, Ot was isolated from rodents and chiggers. IgG antibodies to Ot was detected by IFA. Genotypes of the Ot isolates were also identified by nested PCR. Among 56 children scrub typhus cases, 46 were male, 10 were female; 96% exhibited typical eschars or ulcers, 100% cases had high fever, skin rashes were observed in 55 cases (98%), and regional lymphadenopathy occurred in 48 cases (86%). All cases came from countryside, and all had histories of exposure to the crop field. fifty-one serum samples of suspected patients with scrub typhus were collected, 48 were positive for antibodies to Ot. The serotypes were Gilliam types. The cases only appeared in September to December with the peak at mid and late October. Leptotrombidium (L.) scutellare was the most important vector causing scrub typhus in the foci. Apodemus (A.) agrarius was the main host animals of Ot in the crop field. Totally 26 strains were isolated from patients, rodents, and chigger mites. The serotypes of 24 out of the 26 isolates were Gilliam types, while the genotypes of these isolates were Kawasaki types. The serotypes of the other 2 isolates were identical and both were Karp types. Children scrub typhus patients were frequently seen in the new natural foci of Shandong province. Exposure history, typical eschars or ulcers, and presence of IgG antibody were the important indexes to diagnose the disease.

Torsades de Pointes by Azithromycin in Scrub Typhus and Review on Cardiac Manifestations of Scrub Typhus

Scrub typhus is endemic in Southeast Asia, including Korea. Doxycycline has been the drug of choice for the treatment of scrub typhus, however its becoming less effective due to the emergence of strains, resistant to doxycycline. Treatment of scrub typhus in children and pregnant women is a situation in which doxycycline is contraindicated. Azithromycin may be an ideal antibiotic for the treatment of scrub typhus because it is safe even

In vitro effectiveness of azithromycin against doxycycline-resistant and -susceptible strains of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, etiologic agent of scrub typhus.

In an effort to find a potential alternative treatment for scrub typhus, we evaluated the effectiveness of the standard drug doxycycline and the new macrolide azithromycin against a doxycycline-susceptible strain (Karp) and a doxycycline-resistant strain (AFSC-4) of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi. The antibiotics were tested in an in vitro assay system in which infected mouse fibroblast cells (L929) were incubated for 3 days in various concentrations of the drugs. Rickettsial growth was evaluated by direct visual counts of rickettsiae in Giemsastained cells or by flow cytometry. Initial tests were conducted at the concentration of each antibiotic considered to be the upper breakpoint for susceptibility (16 micrograms/ml for doxycycline and 8 micrograms/ml for azithromycin). Growth of both Karp and AFSC-4 was strongly inhibited with both antibiotics, as measured by visual counts, although the percentage of cells infected with AFSC-4 in the presence of doxycycline was three times greater than the percentage of cells infected with Karp but was only 60% as great as the percentage of cells infected with Karp in the presence of azithromycin. Flow cytometry confirmed that rickettsial growth occurred in the absence of antibiotics, but it failed to detect it in the presence of high concentrations of either drug. Visual counts of rickettsial growth at lower concentrations of the antibiotics (0.25 to 0.0078 microgram/ml) showed that the Karp strain was 16 times more susceptible that the AFSC-4 strain to doxycycline. Azithromycin was much more effective than doxycycline against AFSC-4, inhibiting rickettsial growth at 0.0156 microgram/ml to levels below that achieved by 0.25 microgram of doxycycline per ml. Azithromycin was also more effective than doxycycline against the Karp strain, causing greater reductions in the number of rickettsiae per cell at lower concentrations. If in vivo testing confirms the in vitro effectiveness of azithromycin, it may prove to be the drug of choice for the treatment of scrub typhus in children and pregnant women, who should not take doxycycline, and in patients with refractory disease from locations where doxycycline-resistant strains of R. tsutsugamushi have been found. When tested in an in vitro assay system, azithromycin was more effective than doxycycline against doxycycline-susceptible and -resistant strains of R. tsutsugamushi.