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Kerala man infected with Murine Typhus: All you need to know about this rare bacterial disease
Murine Typhus is caused by the flea-borne bacteria Rickettsia typhi and is transmitted when an infected flea bites a human.
A 75-year-old man from Kerala was diagnosed with a rare bacterial disease called Murine Typhus on Friday, October 11.
He had recently travelled to Vietnam and Cambodia, and experienced severe body pain and fatigue upon returning from his trip.
The patient sought medical attention, and the doctor ordered tests for rat-induced and flea-borne diseases. Although the test results were inconclusive, it was found that his liver and kidney functions were deteriorating, as reported by The Indian Express.
Considering his travel history, the doctors suspected that he could have Murine Typhus, which would be the first diagnosed case in the area.
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The Kerala patient was diagnosed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, which uses microbial DNA for identification. Further tests were conducted at CMC Vellore for confirmation.
Here is all you need to know about the disease, including its spread, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
What is Murine Typhus?
Murine typhus is a rare infectious bacterial disease, recently found in a Kerala man. It is usually caused by the flea-borne bacteria Rickettsia typhi and is transmitted when an infected flea bites a human.
The disease is also known as endemic typhus, flea-borne typhus, or flea-borne spotted fever. Rats, mice, and mongoose are known to be reservoirs of this disease.
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In some cases, the disease-carrying flea is also found in pets such as cats and dogs. Once a flea is infected, it can spread the disease for the rest of its life.
How does murine typhus spread?
The disease spreads when infected flea feces come into contact with cuts or scrapes in the skin. The Murine typhus is not spread from one person to another, or from person to fleas.
In India, such rare bacterial infections have been reported in the Northeast, Madhya Pradesh, and Kashmir.
What are the symptoms of murine typhus?
The symptoms, which mostly appear from seven to 14 days after exposure and include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Body ache
- Joint pains
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach aches
- Skin rashes
The illness often lasts longer than two weeks but may last for months with complications if not treated.
What is the treatment for Murine Typhus?
As far as the treatment goes, presently there is no vaccine against the disease but there are antibiotics like doxycycline used as a vital medication for the treatment of Murine Typhus.
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Without timely treatment, the disease could turn severe in one or two weeks and become fatal in rare cases.
How can Murine Typhus be prevented?
Households with pets should ensure that fleas are kept off them through regular washing and awareness about the signs of fleas. Flea treatment should be done if needed.
