City might be looking at scrub typhus scare
Kolkata: City based doctors and virologists suspect that the nature of larval mites, a kind of insect which causes diseases like scrub typhus, might have changed, as a result of which they are now found within the city.
Earlier, the insects were only found in forest areas. Two persons from Ultadanga's Basanti Colony area reportedly died of scrub typhus in November, triggering panic among other residents of the area.
The disease is spread among people through the bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is a disease caused by bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi and it commonly occurs in rural areas. The most common symptoms of scrub typhus include fever, headache, body aches and sometimes rash. Most cases of scrub typhus have so far been reported in rural areas of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India and Northern Australia. Anyone living in or traveling to areas where scrub typhus is found, could get infected.
Meanwhile, it may be mentioned here that the health workers of KMC on Sunday morning conducted an awareness campaign at the Basanti Colony area, stating what precautionary measures can be taken in this regard.
Deputy Mayor designate Atin Ghosh, who is in charge of the Health department of KMC, said that medicines are available at all the health units run by the civic body. No new cases of scrub typhus have been found.
Virologists in the city, however, believe that the bacteria can be found in urban areas if there is a change in its nature. Due to rapid deforestation in various parts of the country, the bacteria might have been appearing in the city. A larval mite is generally found in
trees. In the past 10-15 years, they were not commonly found in the city and its adjoining areas.
26-year-old Sabina Bibi died earlier this month, while Subho Moira died on November 18. Both of them had been suffering from fever and other flu-like symptoms for a few days, before finally succumbing to their ailments.
The Health department officials of KMC suspect that the victims might have died due to the attack of the scrub typhus bacteria. Basanti Colony falls under Ward 32 of KMC. The civic officials and senior officials of the Beliaghat ID Hospital collected samples of blood from some other patients who were down with fever and similar symptoms.
A senior virologist of the School of Tropical Medicine in Kolkata said that the symptoms of scrub typhus usually begin within 10 days of being bitten. Signs and symptoms may include fever, headache, body aches, muscle pain and a dark, scab-like patch. Lymph nodes get enlarged and rashes appear on the body.
The disease can be treated with antibiotics, which are effective if given soon after symptoms appear. People who are treated early with the antibiotics, usually recover quickly. No vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus.