Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh government has issued an alert and asked for all mandatory preparation after five districts reported cases of Scrub Typhus-a Rickettsial infection caused by the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi-in the state. The health department has also issued guidelines for the treatment. So far, the cases have been reported in Raisen, Narsinghpur, Satna, Damoh and Katni in the state.
Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang assured people that the government is capable of providing treatment for such disease however, people should take proper precautions as the disease vigorously spread between July to December.
Scrub typhus is transmitted by some species of trombiculid mites -known as berry bugs, harvest mites, red bugs or scrub-itch mites -found in areas of heavy scrub vegetation. The mites feed on infected rodents -mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines- hosts and subsequently transmit the parasite to other rodents and humans. The bite of this mite leaves a characteristic black eschar that is useful to the doctor for making the diagnosis.