A Case Report on Scrub Typhus in Sikkim

Scrub Typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by a gram-negative obligate intracellular organism called orientia tsutsugamushi [Japanese word tsutsuga (“dangerous”), mushi (“bug”)], hence it is also called Tsutsugamushi disease. Diagnosis of the disease is challenging, as its early symptoms mimic other febrile illnesses like dengue, influenza, and coronaviruses. An 11-year-old female patient presented with complaints of fever for 3 days, vomiting and difficulty in breathing, swelling of the lower face and limbs with Escher behind the ears. The diagnosis was based on the laboratory investigation and Rapid ICT For O. Tsutsugamushi which appear positive for the scrub typhus. The patient was treated with Tab doxylin-100 LB BD for 7 days and was discharged stable with no complications.