A 60-year-old local woman has become this year’s third scrub typhus patient in Macau, which has been classified as an imported case, the Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement on Friday.
According to the statement, the woman regularly returned to her home in the mainland, where the surrounding area has grassy vegetation, and she had usual activities in grassy areas. The victim developed fever, dizziness and headache on June 2 and sought treatment at a clinic.
The statement did not say where the clinic is located.
Since the symptoms persisted, she sought treatment at the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre on Thursday, after a physical examination during which a painless soybean sized eschar* was found on the right side of her abdomen, according to the statement, after which she was diagnosed with scrub typhus based on her symptoms.
Friday’s statement noted that the patient at that time was in stable condition and receiving treatment. Her family members did not show similar symptoms, the statement underlined, adding that the patient did not visit parks or engage in outdoor activities in Macau.
Scrub typhus is an acute infectious disease caused by bites from larval mites or chiggers carrying Rickettsia Tsutsugamushi. Rodents living in grasslands with high temperatures, humidity and weeds are the most common reservoirs of Rickettsia Tsutsugamushi.
Those who suffer from scrub typhus may develop symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, and rashes, or even show serious complications, such as pneumonia and meningitis which in serious cases can cause respiratory failure and even death.
The bureau urged members of the public to take the necessary precautions when engaging in outdoor activities in grassy areas.
* An eschar is a dry, dark scab or necrotic tissue that forms over a wound, typically as a result of a burn, infection, gangrene, or other skin injuries. It is composed of dead tissue, fibrin, and dried serum, and often appears black or brown. – DeepSeek
Image courtesy of NEXTIAS
