After going to the vegetable field, the high fever appeared on the body and the "scorched scab" caused trouble was actually a small bug

Source: Yangtze Evening News

High fever, soreness all over the body, rash on the body, black "eschar"... Ms. Wang of Liyang City, Changzhou, did not expect that just because she collected a dish in the vegetable field, she would have a high fever for more than a week, almost endangering her life, and the cause was an inconspicuous little bug. Fortunately, after the full rescue and treatment of the medical staff of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital (the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University), Ms. Wang was successfully discharged from the hospital and returned home. Correspondent Cao Yong Xie Danlei Yangzi Evening News/Purple Cow News reporter Yang Yan

After working in the vegetable field, the high fever does not go away, and a strange "eschar" appears on the body.

Ms. Wang, who lives in the countryside, has a few vegetable fields at home. One day in November, when Ms. Wang returned home from farm work as usual, she had a high fever at night, which continued to recede, and her whole body appeared sore and rash. Ms. Wang and her family also thought it was a common cold, and it would slowly get better after a break. But what they did not expect was that Ms. Wang continued to have a high fever, and after infusion in the local hospital, the use of penicillin and then the use of cephalosporin antibiotics to fight the infection, the temperature never came down, lasting 7-8 days.

Subsequently, Ms. Wang's son took her to Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital and was later transferred to the Department of Infectious Diseases. Chen Nian, chief physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases, found that Ms. Wang had touched several enlarged lymph nodes in her right groin, and there was also a soybean-sized eschar in the popliteal fossa of her right knee. "Eschar, a characteristic sign, is important for the diagnosis of scrub worm disease." Chief Physician Chen Nian stressed. After further examination, it was found that Ms. Wang's clinical high fever, eschar, rash, spleen enlargement, lymphadenopathy and tenderness were all very typical symptoms of scrub worm disease, and the inquiry learned that the patient was working in the vegetable field before the onset of the disease, the trouser legs were not tightened, and it was highly suspected that the infection caused by the chigger mite larvae crawling from the trouser tube to the popliteal socket was bitten. Subsequent serological test results showed that Ms. Wang's oriental body-specific IgM and IgG antibodies for scrub worm disease were positive, which also confirmed that she had scrub worm disease.

Recently, many cases of "scrub worm disease" have been treated, and timely treatment is the key

Coincidentally, jiangsu provincial people's hospital has recently received a number of patients suffering from "scrub disease" after being bitten by chigger mite larvae. "Last month, a pregnant woman came to the doctor, she often went out for a walk after dinner, and she also liked to walk in the grass, and was bitten by chigger mite larvae from the cuff of her pants. In addition to being directly bitten by chigger mite larvae outdoors, there is another way to bite that needs special attention. "The case diagnosed a few days ago was a two-point office worker, although he was not close to the grass, but when he slept, he covered the bedding that had been dried on the bush that day, and the larvae carried on the bedding were infected." Chief Physician Chen Nian particularly emphasized.

Fortunately, these patients were treated in time, and after symptomatic treatment by the Department of Infectious Diseases of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital, there were no complications of "scrub worm disease".

What is "scrub worm disease"

From June to November, the incidence is high, and there is no infection between people

Scrub worm disease, also known as jungle typhus, is an acute naturally occurring infectious disease caused by the oriental body of scrub worm disease, so named after its transmission through the bite of the chigger mite larvae. The source of infection of the disease is mainly mice carrying the oriental body of scrub worm disease in the body; chigger mites are the vector of transmission of the disease and the storage host of the oriental body of scrub worm disease. Chigger mites live in fields and jungle areas with higher temperatures and humidity. Wild rats, chigger mites, and grasses form a natural foci. When humans enter the natural foci of work, activities and camping, they are susceptible to the bite of chigger mite larvae with pathogens. Chigger mite larvae like to bite the human body moist, the smell is stronger, so the eschar is more common in the armpits, groin perineum, waist and back and other places. Eschar can be painless, itchy, and free of exudate. Therefore, some patients do not know it themselves, and are often found during the doctor's physical examination.

Scrub worm disease is mainly endemic in the Asia-Pacific region, south of the Yangtze River in China is more common, but there are also continuous cases reported north of the Yangtze River. The southern region of China from June to August and the northern region from September to November are the high incidence of scrub worm disease. "After the patient is diagnosed with scrub worm disease, there is no need to panic excessively, the disease is not contagious between people, the patient does not need to be isolated, the appropriate use of antibiotics, the vast majority of patients can be cured." Chief Physician Chen Nian reminded.

Outdoor activities to protect against currently no effective vaccine

Chen Nian introduced: Scrub worm disease has an incubation period of 10 to 14 days, in the high epidemic season, outdoor workers try not to sit in the grass, field work, field work, hiking when tightening cuffs and pants cuffs, to avoid the bite of chigger mite larvae. At the same time, the eradication of rats, weeds, the eradication of chigger mites and their breeding grounds, and the improvement of environmental health are also important preventive measures.

Chen Nian reminded: "There is no effective vaccine for the oriental body of scrub worm disease, and everyone should remember to do a good job of personal protection to avoid infection." Once you have typical symptoms such as fever, rash, and eschar, remember to go to the hospital in time. ”