Murine Typhus

A 75-year-old man from Kerala, who recently travelled to Vietnam and Cambodia, was diagnosed with the bacterial disease murine typhus.

After considering his travel history, doctors identified the disease, using advanced diagnostic methods such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), which uses microbial DNA.
This marks the first reported case of the rare bacterial disease in Kerala.

Murine typhus, also known as endemic typhus or flea-borne spotted fever, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi.
It is transmitted to humans through infected flea bites.
Rodents such as rats, mice, and mongooses are common reservoirs of the disease. Infected fleas can also live on other small mammals, including household pets like cats and dogs.
Murine typhus is commonly reported in tropical and subtropical coastal regions where rats are prevalent.
In India, cases have been reported in regions like the Northeast, Madhya Pradesh, and Kashmir.

The primary mode of transmission occurs through bites from infected fleas, which transmit Rickettsia typhi.
Flea faeces can also infect humans if they come into contact with skin cuts, scrapes, or mucous membranes.
However, the disease does not spread directly from one person to another or from person to flea.

Symptoms of murine typhus typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include fever, headache, body and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
While the illness usually resolves within two weeks, untreated cases can lead to complications and prolonged illness lasting for months.

There is no vaccine currently available against the disease.
The antibiotic doxycycline is considered effective in therapy, but early diagnosis is vital for treatment.
However, without timely treatment, the disease could turn severe in one or two weeks, and become fatal in rare cases.
As preventive measures, Rodents should be kept away from homes, particularly from kitchens, by properly storing and covering food items.

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