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- Original Article An epidemiologic study on scrub typhus in Koje island
- Il Suh, Il Soon Kim, Byung Yool Cheon, Young Joon Kim, Yun Sop Chong
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Epidemiol Health 1987;9(1):17-27
DOI: https://doi.org/
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Abstract
Scrub typhus was reported in 1986 for the first time among Korean. Koje island was suspected of an endemic area because many patients with symptoms like scrub typhus were reported. To identify endemicity and epidemiologic characteristics of the disease an epidemiologic survey was conducted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 in Koje island. Patients with similar symptoms and signs suspected of scrub typhus were reported from 7 clinics in Koje island during the survey period. Bloods were drawn from those suspected patients and interviews were followed. Final diagnosis of scrub typhus was made by Indirect immunoperoxidase test in addition to clinical signs and symptoms. The endemicity of scrub typhus was identified. Incidence rate of scrub typhus in Koje island in 1986 was estimated to be exceeding 14.4 per 100,000 population. The rate was slightly higher in woman than that of man and majority of patients were aged between 20 and 60. Any special findings in relation with occupation of patients were unable to identify with present study. The major clinical symptoms were high fever, rash, loss of appetite, fatigue, headache and lymphnode enlargement. Eschar which is a pathognomonic finding of the disease was observed in 7 patients out of 15 serologically confirmed cases. The duration of illness was about 6 to 20 days.
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