Scrub Typhus, a Case Report : Military and Regional Significance

Scrub Typhus is a Rickettsial disease caused by the bite of an infected larval mite or “chiggers” belonging to the family Trombiculidae, genus and subgenus Leptotrombidium. Rickettsia orientalis is the agent of Scrub Typhus in India and differs from other Rickettsia in its antigenic structure. There are at least eight serotypes known and infection with one strain does not provide immunity against infection by others. The disease has occurred amongst troops during World War II in Assam and West Bengal and in 1965 Indo-Pak war in the Jammu - Sialkot sectors. Some cases were also reported during the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict from the northwestern border. There was a resurgence of the disease in 1990 when the author discovered 11 cases [1] in a unit, which was deployed in the scrub type jungle on the northwestern border of India. Timely recognition and treatment along with widespread and immediate use of preventive measures prevented a major epidemic. There were no fatalities. In 1992, a few cases occurred in Indian Military Academy in Dehradun amongst cadets and one fatality occurred before the disease could be recognized and specific treatment instituted. Recently, a case occurred in one of the units inducted in Jammu and Kashmir and the same is presented.