Explained: What is Murine Typhus, the disease detected in a 74-year-old man in Kerala?

Health By Sumit Jha Oct 11, 2024 Read the article

A 74-year-old man who recently returned from Cambodia to Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has been diagnosed with Murine Typhus, a flea-borne illness.

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Upon experiencing severe body pains, fatigue and loss of appetite, the Kerala man sought treatment at a private hospital.

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Medical tests revealed impaired liver and kidney function.

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While initial tests for flea fever in Kerala were negative, the diagnosis of Murine Typhus was confirmed following subsequent tests at CMC Hospital in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.

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Murine Typhus is a flea-borne illness caused by the bacteria Rickettsia typhi and, less commonly, by Rickettsia felis.

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It is transmitted to humans primarily through flea bites, particularly from fleas that infest rodents like rats, as well as animals such as cats and opossums.

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The disease is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions.

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Murine typhus spreads when flea faeces containing the bacteria come into contact with broken skin or mucous membranes.

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