An arborist hired by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has become the fourth suspected case of Tsutsugamushi Disease (aka scrub typhus) this year, the Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement yesterday.
The statement noted that the fourth patient of the disease is a 58-year-old local woman who felt uncomfortable under her right arm on May 20, came down with a high fever and a headache three days later. The statement pointed out that the patient was admitted to the public Conde de S. Januário Hospital Centre on May 26. During a medical check, a bean-sized eschar (a superficial structure of dead tissue) was found in the patient’s right armpit and, based on the symptoms, she was diagnosed with Tsutsugamushi Disease.
The statement said that the patient works as an outsourced arborist for the Municipal Affairs Bureau, tasked with maintaining old trees.
An arborist is a tree surgeon.
The statement underlined that the patient had worked in grassland in Mong Ha Hill Municipal Park, Montanha Russa Garden, D. Maria II Hill Park, Guia Hill Municipal Park, and Lou Lim Ioc Garden. The statement added that her roommates and friends have not developed similar symptoms.
The statement noted that Tsutsugamushi Disease is transmitted by mites that spread Rickettsia tsutsugamushi through bites. The mites that have Rickettsia tsutsugamushi are usually found on rodents that live in grasslands with high temperatures and humid environments, the statement added.
This photo shows a patient’s typical lesion with eschar and surrounding erythema seen on the 8th day of infection. Photo courtesy of Semantic Scholar
