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Scrub Typhus Explained - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention | UPSC Science & Technology 2026
What is Scrub Typhus? Why is it in News? Important for UPSC Prelims & Mains GS3 Science & Technology.
Vajirao & Reddy Institute - India's Top Potential Training Institute for IAS explains this important topic.
🔴 Why in News?
Scrub Typhus cases rising across India in Monsoon 2026:
- Kota, Rajasthan: 104 cases in 2026 - double than dengue cases (50 cases)
- Ghaziabad: 3 new cases in Khoda Colony, Muradnagar
- Shimla: 24 cases in monsoon, Health Dept issues advisory
- Chennai: Anna University 20-year-old student died of Scrub Typhus on 18 Sep 2026 - first death in city this year, 173 cases in Chennai so far
🔴 What is Scrub Typhus? - Key Facts for UPSC
Cause: Bacterial infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi (gram-negative obligate intracellular coccobacillus)
Vector: Bite of infected larval mites - Trombiculid mites / Chigger mites (Leptotrombidium spp.)
Not mosquito-borne disease - Its MITE-borne
Habitat: Bushes, grasslands, plant litter, agricultural fields, forest edges. Recent study (LSHTM + CMC Vellore) shows chiggers more abundant INSIDE villages than fields - 4-5x more rats in settlements carry infected mites.
Season: Monsoon & Post-Monsoon peak - July to November. Post-monsoon highest.
Geography in India: Himalayan foothills (HP, Uttarakhand highest burden), NE India (Assam, Meghalaya), Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, AP, J&K. Under-reported - 30,000 to 1 lakh+ cases/year.
🔴 Symptoms - As in Poster:
1. Fever - High fever for 5-7 days (Acute Febrile Illness)
2. Headache - Severe headache
3. Muscle Pain / Body ache / Joint pain
4. Rash - Red rashes, Petechiae
5. Eschar - Pathognomonic sign! Black crusted ulcer at bite site - present in 40-60% cases only (23% in some studies)
6. Swollen lymph nodes, Altered sensorium, Chills, Weakness
Complications if untreated: ARDS, Pneumonitis, Encephalitis, Myocarditis, AKI, Multi-organ failure. Fatality 15-30% without treatment.
🔴 Diagnosis & Treatment:
Diagnosis: IgM ELISA for Scrub Typhus, Weil-Felix test (old)
Treatment: Doxycycline is drug of choice - cheapest & effective (Rs 3-5 per capsule). Azithromycin alternative. Early diagnosis critical!
🔴 Prevention:
- Avoid sitting/lying on grass directly
- Wear full sleeves, long pants, covered shoes in fields
- Keep surroundings clean, trim bushes, remove weeds
- Bath & change clothes after field work
- Rodent control - rats carry mites
This is important for UPSC GS2 Health, GS3 S&T Diseases, Prelims Monsoon Diseases.
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