A 75-year-old man from Kerala who not too long ago travelled to Vietnam and Cambodia was on Friday (October 11) identified with the bacterial illness murine typhus.
After finishing his journey, the affected person sought medical consideration on September 8, complaining of physique ache and fatigue. Assessments for rat-induced and flea-borne illnesses had been inconclusive, though it was discovered that his liver and kidney features had been deteriorating.
After contemplating his journey historical past, the medical doctors suspected his ailment to be a case of murine typhus. This marks the primary case of the uncommon illness reported within the state.
Here’s what to know in regards to the illness, its unfold, signs, therapy and prevention.
What’s murine typhus?
Murine typhus is an infectious illness attributable to the flea-borne micro organism Rickettsia typhi. It’s transmitted to people by means of the bites of contaminated fleas. The illness is often known as endemic typhus, flea-borne typhus or flea-borne noticed fever. Rodents like rats, mice and mongoose, are identified to be reservoirs of the illness.
The disease-carrying fleas also can reside on different small mammals, together with pets comparable to cats and canines. As soon as a flea is contaminated, it could possibly unfold the illness for the remainder of its life.
How does murine typhus unfold?
The illness is unfold when contaminated flea faeces come into contact with cuts or scrapes within the pores and skin. Transmission also can occur by means of publicity of mucous membranes to contaminated flea faeces. Murine typhus isn’t unfold from one particular person to a different, or from particular person to fleas.
The illness has been reported in coastal tropical and subtropical areas, the place rats are prevalent. In India, instances of murine typhus have been reported within the Northeast, Madhya Pradesh and Kashmir.
What are the signs of murine typhus?
The signs often seem seven to 14 days after the publicity and embrace fever, complications, physique aches, joint pains, nausea, vomiting, and abdomen aches. Some individuals might later develop rashes on the pores and skin, days after the preliminary signs. The sickness seldom lasts longer than two weeks, however might final for months with problems if not handled.
Within the case of the Kerala affected person, Subsequent Era Sequencing (NGS) expertise, which makes use of microbial DNA, was used to establish the prognosis. Additional assessments had been carried out in CMC Vellore for affirmation.
What’s the therapy for murine typhus?
There is no such thing as a vaccine presently accessible towards the illness. The antibiotic doxycycline is taken into account efficient in remedy, however early prognosis is significant for therapy. With out well timed therapy, the illness might flip extreme in a single or two weeks, and change into deadly in uncommon instances.
How can one stop themselves from murine typhus?
Households with pets ought to make sure that fleas are stored off them, by means of common washing and consciousness in regards to the indicators of fleas. A flea therapy must be finished if wanted.
Rodents must be refrained from households and kitchens particularly, with meals gadgets correctly lined.
