SCRUB TYPHUS DISEASE OUTBREAK AT CHEURAL VILLAGE, LAWNGTLAI DISTRICT, MIZORAM, NORTH-EAST INDIA

Scrub typhus, which is one of the rickettsial diseases, is an acute, febrile illness in men caused by the pathogen, 18 a gram-negative bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi from the bite of infected mite. Outbreaks of scrub typhus have been reported from various parts of North, South, and Eastern India. There was a report of two unfortunate death cases from Cheural village due to scrub typhus at Lawngtlai district hospital. While, multiple cases, having symptoms like scrub typhus illness were also reported by health officials of the residents of Cheural village, Lawngtlai District, Mizoram. Among the 242 person tested, 80 (33.05%) person were found reactive with Weil felix PROGEN OXK at 1:160 titre value. Maximum numbers of cases were observed among the working age group 20-60 years. Among the different occupational groups, farmers were the most affected as more than 90% of the villagers were involved in forest farming. The five captured rodents’ sera were also tested with Weil felix. All of the captured rodent sera were reactive with one or more antigen. Mites (chigger) were also collected from the rodent samples and the chigger index was found to be 19.2. This study indicated that scrub typhus and other rickettsial diseases were responsible for the outbreak. The extremely high chigger index with reactivity rate reactivity rate of Weil felix with sera of captured rodents strongly indicated the household transmission of scrub typhus and other rickettsial diseases in the outbreak village.