Field epidemiology, clinical findings and outcome of Scrub typhus patients admitted at Gedu District Hospital, Chhukha, Bhutan

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the field epidemiology, clinical findings, diagnostic reports and outcome of Scrub typhus patients admitted at Gedu District Hospital, Bhutan. Methods: The researcher extracted data from the records of patients admitted at the hospital from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2020, with diagnosis of Scrub typhus. A total of 185 records were used to study the demographic distribution, results of rapid diagnostic test for Scrub typhus, presence of eschar, treatment outcome and duration of admission in the hospital. Results: The months of May to October had increased admissions of 137 (74%) patients with a peak in September. Three gewogs (sub-districts) had 173 (93.5%) patients; age range was 6 months to 84 years and a greater proportion of patients were females. Conclusion: Scrub typhus is endemic in the district. The absence of recorded fever or a negative rapid diagnostic test report may not exclude the diagnosis of Scrub typhus.