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Scrub Typhus among Febrile Patients Admitted to the Department of Medicine in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive

Sanjeeb Shrestha1, Shanti Pradhan1, Niranjan Shrestha2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Kaski, Nepal.

JNMA; Journal of the Nepal Medical Association
|August 13, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Scrub typhus, a bacterial illness, affected 5.94% of febrile patients in a tertiary care setting. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent severe complications like hepatitis and respiratory distress.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Internal Medicine
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by Rickettsia bacteria.
  • Untreated cases can lead to severe complications including hepatitis, sepsis, myocarditis, respiratory distress, and disseminated vasculitis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of scrub typhus among patients admitted with acute febrile illness to a tertiary care medicine department.
  • To identify the incidence of scrub typhus complications in the studied population.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to May 2023.
  • Included were 640 patients aged 17-70 years with acute febrile illness, excluding those with other diagnosed infections.
  • Convenience sampling was used, with point estimates and 95% Confidence Intervals calculated.

Main Results:

  • Scrub typhus was diagnosed in 38 out of 640 patients (5.94%; 95% CI: 4.11-7.77).
  • Among those with scrub typhus, complications included acute hepatitis (5.26%), sepsis (2.63%), myocarditis (2.63%), disseminated vasculitis (2.63%), and respiratory distress (2.63%).

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of scrub typhus in this tertiary care setting was 5.94%.
  • This prevalence appears slightly higher than reported in similar studies, highlighting the need for continued surveillance.
Keywords:
acute febrile illnesscomplicationsscrub typhus

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