Scrub Typhus in Cirrhotics: A Single Centre Experience at aTertiary Care Centre in Delhi

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Scrub typhus, also known as tsutsugamushi disease, is an acute febrile illness caused by infection with Orientiatsutsugamushi and characterized by focal or disseminated vasculitis and perivasculitis, which may involve the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, and central nervous system. Scrub typhus is a public health problem in Asia, where about 1 million new cases are identified annually and 1 billion people may be at risk for this disease. The disease is widespread, extending from Japan to Australia and from India to the Pacific. It is prevalent in many parts of India and has been reported in the east, south and the Himalayas. The ricketssia is transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of a larval stage (chigger) trombiculid mite. It is known that the hepatic dysfunction in patients with scrub typhus is quite common (70-90%). However, to date, there have been no clearly identified determinants on the clinical severity of scrub typhus in liver cirrhosis patients. This study was carried out by retrospectively reviewing medical records of 4 patients accumulated over 1 year at our hospital.