AP intensifies Scrub Typhus surveillance

Amaravati: AndhraPradesh has stepped up disease surveillance and laboratory testing following a rise in scrub typhus cases across several districts, even as health authorities emphasised that no deaths have yet been clinically confirmed as caused by the infection.

State Medical, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Veerapandian on Monday said that the State has recorded 1,566 scrub typhus positive cases this year. Although nine deaths have been reported among patients with symptoms, he clarified that ‘cause of death can be certified only after detailed epidemiological review and genome sequencing,’ a process expected to take two to three months.

The disease remains more prevalent in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka reported 1,689 cases, Tamil Nadu 6,925, Andhra Pradesh 1,613 in last year. Karnataka 1,870, Tamil Nadu 7,308, Telangana 309, Andhra Pradesh 1,566 cases have been reported so far this year. Officials attributed Andhra Pradesh’s numbers partly to expanded testing at PHCs and teaching hospitals, which has increased early detection.

Rapid response teams have been mobilised in all 26 districts to investigate localised clusters and assess whether unusual deaths require further scrutiny. Diagnostic capacity has been expanded, with ELISA-based testing now available in teaching hospitals and additional facilities in Hindupur, Tekkali, Paderu and Tenali. Sample testing is also being supported through genome sequencing labs in Guntur and Tirupati.

Doctors highlighted the presence of a black eschar, a distinctive necrotic spot at the bite site, as a key diagnostic marker. At Guntur government hospital, 26 cases were treated in the past 38 days, including three currently in the ICU. Severe cases largely involved patients with chronic illnesses who arrived late in the disease cycle. Officials said most patients recover within four to five days with standard antibiotics such as doxycycline and azithromycin.

Infectious diseases experts reiterated that deaths can be formally linked to scrub typhus only after pathogen confirmation through sequencing. “With current information, it cannot be said that nine deaths were due to scrub typhus,” said infectious diseases specialist Dr Kalyana Chakravarthy.

Director of medical education Dr Raghunandan attended the briefing.