A 59-year-old male non-resident worker (NRW) from the mainland employed as a landscape gardener has been infected with Tsutsugamushi Disease (aka scrub typhus) in Macau, the Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement yesterday.
The patient is the sixth suspected case of scrub typhus in the city this year.
According to the statement, the man began to be suffering from headaches and full-body muscle pain last Friday. He went to the private Kiang Wu Hospital for emergency treatment on Monday after coming down with a fever, cough and sore throat. However, the statement added, his symptoms did not improve at that time.
The patient was admitted to Kiang Wu Hospital on Wednesday, where a bean-sized eschar* was found under his right armpit. Based on the symptoms, he was diagnosed with scrub typhus. His symptoms have improved after treatment, according to the statement.
The statement pointed out that the victim had been working in grassland in Guia Fortress. He told the Health Bureau that his roommates and colleagues had not developed similar symptoms, the statement added.
Moreover, the bureau urged members of the public to take precautions, such as wearing long-sleeved clothing, putting on insect repellent with DEET, and not entering grasslands when having outdoor activities. People should also maintain good personal hygiene by showering and changing clothes frequently, it added.
The bureau also urged pet owners to shower their pets to remove any fleas and check their bedding regularly.
The statement underlined that people showing symptoms of the disease should see a doctor at once.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, scrub typhus is caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi through the bite of infected chiggers (also known as larval mites).
*A slough or piece of dead tissue cast off from the surface of the skin.
This image shows a patient’s eschar. – Photo courtesy of ScienceDirect
