Middle-Aged Woman Dies with Scrub Typhus Symptoms in Vizianagaram District in Andhra Pradesh

Key facts

• Scrub typhus is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and spreads through bites of infected larval mites.
• Common symptoms include fever, body pain, rash, a scab-like lesion and swollen lymph nodes.
• Most patients respond well to doxycycline, with azithromycin recommended for pregnant women.
• Early treatment with antibiotics prevents complications affecting the lungs, liver, kidneys or central nervous system.
• Health authorities advise avoiding overgrown vegetation, wearing protective clothing and using repellents to reduce mite bites.
• Chittoor reported the highest number of infections this year at 384.