CLINICAL AND LABORATORY PROFILE OF PEDIATRIC SCRUB TYPHUS AT A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL IN SOUTHERN RAJASTHAN

Abstract

Background: Scrub Typhus is an important cause of acute febrile illness that is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. It is transmitted by bite of larval stage (chigger) of a trombiculid mite. Scrub typhus is a zoonosis. Material and methods:-This was a hospital based prospective study conducted in Department of Paediatrics, Balchikitsalaya, MB Govt. Hospital, RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan over a period of 21 months from October 2019 to June 2021. All children aged 1 month to 18 years admitted with fever with serologically conrmed Scrub Typhus test(Positive IgM ELISA) were included in the study. A detailed history was recorded, Clinical examination, anthropometric measurement, laboratory ndings, complications, and outcome of patients were recorded on a prestructured proforma. Results:- During study period 152 children had scrub typhus and fullling inclusion criteria were included in the study. All children presented with fever. Other common symptom were vomiting(65.78%) ,headache(42.10%) ,abdominal pain (37.50%), bodyache(25%) , altered sensorium(22.36%) and cough(21.71%) . Most common examination nding was fever in all the children, pallor (74.34%), oedema (50%), tachypnea (43.42%), hypotension(38.81%), rash(32.89%), hepatomegaly(29.60%), facial pufness(28.94%) and Eschar (7.89%) were other common ndings. Doxycycline, azithromycin or chloramphenicol were used for treatment. Conclusion:- Scrub Typhus is one of the common cause of acute febrile illness in children. A high degree of suspicion, a search for an eschar and knowledge of geographical distribution of rickettsial diseases is crucial for its early diagnosis ,treatment and favourable outcome.