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Acute pancreatitis due to scrub typhus
Atif Shaikh Iqbal Ahmed1, Abhilash Paul Prabhakar Kundavaram1, Sowmya Sathyendra2
1Department of General Medicine, Medicine Unit IV, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Journal of Global Infectious Diseases
|April 18, 2014
Summary
Scrub typhus, a bacterial infection common in India, can rarely cause acute pancreatitis, a severe and often fatal complication. This rare complication significantly increases mortality risk in patients with scrub typhus.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Scrub typhus is a significant public health concern in India, known for potential multi-organ failure.
- Acute pancreatitis is a recognized complication of various infections but is exceptionally rare in scrub typhus.
- Early diagnosis and management of scrub typhus are crucial due to its potential severity.
Observation:
- This case series details seven adult patients with scrub typhus presenting with acute pancreatitis.
- Patients exhibited symptoms including fever, abdominal pain, elevated lipase and amylase levels, and signs of multi-organ dysfunction.
- A significant mortality rate of 42.8% was observed, particularly in patients with multi-organ involvement.
Findings:
- Acute pancreatitis is an extremely rare but potentially fatal complication of scrub typhus.
- The presence of pancreatitis in scrub typhus cases is associated with a markedly increased mortality rate.
- Elevated serum lipase and amylase levels were indicative of pancreatitis in these patients.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider acute pancreatitis in the differential diagnosis of scrub typhus patients presenting with abdominal pain.
- Increased awareness may lead to earlier diagnosis and potentially improved outcomes for this rare complication.
- Further research is warranted to understand the pathophysiology and optimize treatment strategies for scrub typhus-induced pancreatitis.
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