Tuberc Respir Dis.  2007 Oct;63(4):378-381.

A Case of Concomitant Scrub Typhus and Leptospirosis

• Lee SP
• Shin HJ
• Lee HK
• Kwak HJ
• Kim SH
• Kim TH
• Sohn JW
• Yoon HJ
• Shin DH
• Park SS

Abstract

Tsutsugamushi disease (Scrub typhus) is an acute, febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted to humans through chigger bites. Leptospirosis, a febrile disease caused by various pathogenic Leptospira, and is acquired by exposure to contaminated water and soil. Both diseases have been the most common acute febrile diseases in the autumn in Korea for many years. Concomitant leptospirosis and scrub typhus is quite rare. We report a case of a coinfection with leptospirosis and scrub typhus in a 51-year-old male who presented with fever, abdominal pain and acute dyspnea. The patient was diagnosed with as acalculous cholecystitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and septic shock caused by the infection. This is the first case report of a coinfection with leptospirosis and scrub typhus in Korea.

Keyword

Leptospirosis; Scrub typhus

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Acalculous Cholecystitis
Coinfection
Dyspnea
Fever
Humans
Korea
Leptospira
Leptospirosis*
Male
Middle Aged
Orientia tsutsugamushi
Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult
Scrub Typhus*
Shock, Septic
Soil
Trombiculidae
Water Pollution
Soil

Figure

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  Figure 1 Chest X-ray on admission reveals diffuse consolidation in the both lung fields and increased interstitial markings in the peripheral lung zones.

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  Figure 2 Abdominal ultrasonography shows suspicious parenchymal liver disease(A) and acalculous cholecystitis(B).

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  Figure 3 Chest CT shows diffuse ground-glass opacities and compact consolidations in the both lung fields(A & B).

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  Figure 4 Diffuse haziness in both lung fields has much improved on the follow-up chest X-ray(taken on the 14th day after treatment).

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