Scrub typhus in Odisha: Changing climate may have a role behind outbreak, says expert

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Context:

A resurgence of scrub typhus cases in Odisha has brought forward the role of climate in driving up the rate of the highly infectious disease.
Also reported from Himachal Pradesh.

Scrub typhus:

Scrub typhus is caused by a zoonotic rickettsial bacterium called Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mites in the larveal stage called chiggers.
Mites carrying the disease are generally found in the bush, jungle and paddy areas, so the disease is also called jungle or bush typhus.
The chiggers that transmit the disease generally live in low temperature and high humidity conditions.
The symptoms of scrub typhus commonly include fever, headache, body ache and sometimes a rash.
In some cases it leads to respiratory distress, brain and lung inflammation, kidney failure and multi-organ failure, ultimately resulting in death.
Test:Elisa tests for scrub typhus.

Probable reason for outbreak:

Odisha districts have more agricultural and forest land suitable for mites.
Global warming and climate change.
A study found that temperature, humidity and rainfall had a major role in the incidence of scrub typhus.
A 2017 study looking into scrub typhus cases in China also found that a 1 degree Celsius increase in mean temperature was associated with a 3.8 per cent increase in the odds of scrub typhus cases during the same week.