A woman suffered from scrub typhus and respiratory failure, just because of petting a cat?

Recently, a woman in Guangdong went to the doctor for fever and difficulty breathing, and her condition worsened and she fell into a coma. After examination by the doctor, it was confirmed that she had scrub typhus, and it was speculated that the woman might have been infected by contact with some cats of unknown origin.

What is scrub typhus?

Scrub typhus is an acute infectious disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi and is a natural epidemic disease.

Note: The disease is not contagious between people, and there are currently no reports of transmission due to contact with the blood or other body fluids of critically ill patients or infected animals.

How do people get infected?

Humans are mainly infected by the bites of chiggers infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi. Rodents are the main source of infection and reservoir hosts for scrub typhus, and animals such as pigs, cats, and rabbits can also be infected. Chiggers are the main vector of the disease. In addition to the reservoir hosts, they are mostly found in warm, humid grass, shrubs, fields, and riverbanks.

Note: People are generally susceptible to Orientia tsutsugamushi, but farmers working in the fields, field workers, troops in field training, and field tourists have more opportunities for exposure and are more likely to be infected.

What are the common symptoms after infection?

The incubation period after being bitten by scrub typhus is generally 4 to 20 days. Local papules first appear at the bite site, and then turn into eschars and ulcers. The clinical manifestations are complex and varied, and common manifestations include high fever, eschars and ulcers at the wound, rashes, swollen lymph nodes, and multiple organ damage. Generally, organ damage will recover as scrub typhus is cured. However, if the pathogen is not treated in time, the patient may die from multiple organ failure.

Note: So far, there is no effective vaccine to prevent scrub typhus, but if the infection is discovered in time, it can be controlled and treated, and the prognosis is good.

How to prevent scrub typhus?

1. Eliminate rats and mites to prevent the problem from the root.

Use rat poison and mouse traps in communities and rural areas to kill rats and reduce rat density; remove weeds around homes, workplaces and on both sides of roads, increase light, reduce humidity and reduce the breeding of ticks.

2. Good personal protection is an effective measure to prevent this disease.

First, chiggers mainly live in grass, bushes and other places, so you should avoid sitting or lying down to rest or drying clothes in such environments; second, when entering such areas, you should pay attention to personal protection, tighten your cuffs and trouser legs, and tuck your shirt into your waistband to reduce the attachment or bites of chiggers; in addition, you can spray insect repellent on exposed skin and trouser legs, collars or cuffs for protection to reduce the chance of being bitten by chiggers.

Is it safe to keep a cat?

The report inferred that the woman was infected because of contact with an unknown cat. In fact, the main host of scrub typhus is mice, and the probability of cats being infected is low. The probability of infection for domestic cats that are dewormed in time is almost zero. Therefore, cat lovers can keep cats without worry.

Note: Although the probability of cats being infected is low, there is still a risk of infection, so you should stay away from cats of unknown origin. Even if you want to adopt a cat, go to the pet store to have a physical examination for the cat and adopt it through formal procedures.

Finally, a reminder: if you have a prolonged high fever after outdoor activities and find eschar in private places such as the waist and armpits, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible and inform your doctor of your relevant exposure history.