scrub typhus

scrub typhus
an infectious disease occurring chiefly in Japan and the East Indies, caused by the organism Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, transmitted by mites through biting. Also called Japanese river fever, tsutsugamushi disease.
[1925-30]

* * *

also called  Tsutsugamushi Disease, 

      acute infectious disease in humans that is caused by the parasite Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of certain kinds of trombiculid mites, or chiggers. The causative agent of scrub typhus, the bacterium R. tsutsugamushi, is primarily a parasite of certain mites, of which two closely related species, Leptotrombidium (Trombicula) akamushi and L. deliens, are the carriers of the disease. During their larval stage, these mites acquire the infection from wild rodents or other small animals. The infection is passed to humans when a mite larva bites a person. Scrub typhus occurs in Southeast Asia and its associated archipelagoes and in Japan, in which latter country the disease was first described (1899) and systematically investigated (1906–32). During World War II scrub typhus killed or incapacitated thousands of troops who were stationed in rural or jungle areas in the Pacific theatre.

      A person falls ill with scrub typhus about 10 to 12 days after being bitten by an infected mite. A reddish or pinkish lesion appears at the site of the mite bite, and the person begins to experience headache, fever, chills, and general pains, along with swollen lymph glands. About one week after the fever has started, a pinkish rash develops over the skin of the trunk and may extend to the arms and legs. While the course of the fever may end in two weeks, it is not unusual for it to last three or even four weeks. A more or less extensive pneumonitis is common, and abnormalities in the heart, lungs, and blood may also arise, leading to impairment of heart function and circulatory failure. When untreated, scrub typhus can be fatal, but the course of the disease can now be arrested by the administration of chloramphenicol or the tetracyclines (tetracycline), upon which recovery is prompt and uneventful.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • scrub typhus — n. a disease of the Asiatic Pacific area, transmitted to humans by the bite of the larva of a mite (esp. Trombicula akamushi) and caused by a rickettsia ( Rickettsia tsutsugamushi): it is characterized by fever and a rash …   English World dictionary

  • Scrub typhus — Infobox Disease Name = PAGENAME Caption = Orientia tsutsugamushi DiseasesDB = 31715 ICD10 = ICD10|A|75|3|a|75 ICD9 = ICD9|081.2 ICDO = OMIM = MedlinePlus = eMedicineSubj = derm eMedicineTopic = 841 eMedicine mult = eMedicine2|ped|2710 | MeshID =… …   Wikipedia

  • Scrub typhus — A mite borne infectious disease caused by a microorganism, Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, characteristically with fever, headache, a raised (macular) rash, swollen glands (lymphadenopathy) and a dark crusted ulcer (called an eschar or tache noire) at… …   Medical dictionary

  • scrub typhus — tsutsugamushi disease a disease, widely distributed in SE Asia, caused by the parasitic microorganism Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and transmitted to humans through the bite of mites. Only larval mites of the genus Trombicula are involved as vectors …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • scrub typhus — scrub′ ty′phus n. pat an infectious disease occurring chiefly in Japan and SE Asia, caused by the organism Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, transmitted by mites through biting …   From formal English to slang

  • scrub typhus — noun Date: 1929 an acute febrile bacterial disease that is caused by a rickettsia (Orientia tsutsugamushi syn. Rickettsia tsutsugamushi) transmitted by mite larvae, resembles typhus transmitted by lice, and is widespread in the western Pacific… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • scrub typhus — /skrʌb ˈtaɪfəs/ (say skrub tuyfuhs) noun → typhus …  

  • scrub typhus — noun a rickettsial disease transmitted to humans by mites and found in parts of east Asia …   English new terms dictionary

  • scrub typhus — noun transmitted by larval mites and widespread in Asia • Syn: ↑tsutsugamushi disease • Hypernyms: ↑rickettsial disease, ↑rickettsiosis …   Useful english dictionary

  • Typhus — Infobox Disease Name = Typhus Caption = Rash caused by Epidemic typhus. DiseasesDB = 29240 ICD10 = ICD10|A|75|1|a|75 ICD9 = ICD9|080 ICD9|083 ICDO = OMIM = MedlinePlus = 001363 eMedicineSubj = med eMedicineTopic = 2332 MeshID = D014438Typhus is… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”