Progress of diagnosis and treatment of tsutsugamushi disease / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

Tsutsugamushi disease is an acute infectious disease caused by Rickettsia tsutsugamushi.The clinical symptoms of tsutsugamushi disease are varied and non-specific,such as sudden onset fever with chills,rash,skin eschar of ulcer,lymphadenectasis,et al.Patients could combine with multi-organ dysfunction,include respiratory failure,heart failure,mild renal or hepatic dysfunction,circulatory shock or hematological abnormalities.Since the symptoms and signs are non-specific and resemble other tropical infections like malaria,enteric fever,dengue or leptospirosis,appropriate laboratory tests are necessary to confirm diagnosis,and reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rate.The mainstay of treatment is the tetracycline,chloramphenicol,macrolide and quinolone group of antibiotics.In mild cases,recovery is complete.In severe cases with multi-organ failure,mortality may be as high as 24％.Improve the early diagnosis and timely treatment of the disease,for improving the prognosis of patients,reduce the disease burden is of great significance.