The rising number of cases of scrub typhus in Guangzhou has been alarming health officials, reportsPubMed, an official website for the US National Library of Medicine. Scrub typhus is transmitted by trombiculid mites, and is endemic to southern China and throughout Southeast Asia and Australia. Patients suffering from scrub typhus will experience fever, headache, muscle pain, cough, and gastrointestinal symptoms. If left untreated by antibiotics, it can be fatal.

Data obtained from the Chinese National Communicable Disease Surveillance Network shows steady growth of scrub typhus cases in Guangzhou from 2006 to 2012. In 2006, the rate was 3.29 per 100,000 residents; in 2012 it had risen to 9.85 per 100,000 residents.The urban district of Haizhu is one of the key high-risk areas.

So how can you prevent getting this disease? Unfortunately there are no vaccines available, so your best bet is to maintain very good levels of personal hygiene, make sure you’re not around any rodents, and obviously avoid areas where other cases have been reported.

Photo: Medscape