SCRUB TYPHUS SEROPOSITIVITY IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH OTHER LAB PARAMETERS FROM RURAL BASED TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN WEST BENGAL: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Abstract

Scrub typhus, a re-emerging zoonotic infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is a significant public health concern in India, particularly in endemic regions like northern West Bengal. This retrospective study, conducted at Raiganj Government Medical College from January to December 2024, analyzed 1,185 acute febrile illness (AFI) cases, of which 244 (20.59%) were confirmed positive for scrub typhus via IgM ELISA. Clinical, biochemical, and hematological data were examined to identify age-related variations and potential predictors of disease severity. While several biochemical markers—including bilirubin, AST, albumin, globulin, creatinine, and potassium—showed statistically significant variation across age groups, others such as ALT, urea, sodium, and ALP did not. Hematological parameters, including platelet count, total leukocyte count, and hemoglobin, showed minimal age-related differences. Anemia (78.99%) and thrombocytopenia (79.41%) were common findings. Notably, elevated AST and thrombocytopenia were linked with more severe outcomes, particularly in children aged 10–14 years. However, multivariate analysis revealed that age alone was not a major determinant of changes in laboratory parameters, suggesting that other clinical factors may play a more critical role in disease progression. These findings highlight the need for early recognition of biochemical changes to improve prognosis and support further multi-centric prospective studies.