Clinical Manifestations and Outcome of Scrub Typhus in Infants From Odisha.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To study manifestations and outcome of scrub typhus in infants.

METHODS:

Case record analysis of infants with scrub typhus admitted to a tertiary care hospital, diagnosed by IgM ELISA from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019.

RESULTS:

Out of 374 children diagnosed with scrub typhus, 34 (9%) were infants. Chief presentation were fever 34 (100 %), feeding difficulty 24 (70.6%), lethargy 18 (52.9%) and irritability 15 (44.1%). Clinically, pallor 30 (88.2%), tachycardia 29 (85.3%), tachypnea 24 (70.6%), hepatosplenomegaly 30 (88.2%) and eschar 6 (17.6%) were detected. Significant laboratory parameters were anemia 33 (97.1%), leukocytosis 33 (97.1%), thrombocytopenia 17 (50%) and transaminitis 21 (63.6%). Pneumonia 18 (52.9%) was noticed as the major complication. Infants requiring intensive care 17(50%) had characteristic thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia and transaminitis (P<0.05). They recovered well with doxycycline.

CONCLUSIONS:

Manifestation of scrub typhus in infants tends to be severe with combination of hematologic, pulmonary and hepatic involvement requiring intensive care. The response to doxycycline is good.

• Authors: Jyoti Ranjan Behera, Sanjay Kumar Sahu, Niranjan Mohanty, Nirmal Kumar Mohakud, Amos Lal
• Journal: Indian pediatrics (Indian Pediatr) Vol. 58 Issue 4 Pg. 367-369 (04 15 2021) ISSN: 0974-7559 [Electronic] India
• PMID: 33883311 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Doxycycline

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Doxycycline (therapeutic use)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Fever (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Infant
• Scrub Typhus (complications, diagnosis, drug therapy)