Odisha hit by two major disease outbreaks. All you need to know about Scrub Typhus, Leptospirosis

Source: The post is based on the article “Odisha hit by two major disease outbreaks. All you need to know about Scrub Typhus, Leptospirosis”  published in Livemint on 18th September 2023

What is the News?

Odisha has been impacted from two disease outbreaks –Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis–which have killed six people in the state so far.

What is Scrub Typhus?

Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is a disease caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi. 

Scrub typhus is spread to people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). 

People who frequently visit farmlands or forests are vulnerable to the infection. 

Some of the common symptoms of scrub typhus include fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes rash.Symptoms of scrub typhus usually begin within 10 days of being bitten. 

No vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus.

What is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal zoonotic bacterial disease.

Caused by: The disease is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or Leptospira.

Vulnerable areas: The disease is more prevalent in warm, humid countries and in both urban and rural areas.It affects an estimated 1.03 million people every year, killing around 60,000.

The carriers of the disease can be either wild or domestic animals, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.

Symptoms: High fever, headache, chills, vomiting, red eyes, abdominal pain, rashes, and diarrhea.

– Without treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death.