A report posted last week in ProMED has drawn attention to scrub typhus infections acquired in Los Lagos region – instead of the usual one to two cases detected in the month of January in most years, 12 suspected cases (10 since confirmed, two pending) were notified in a 2-week period. The Chilean Rickettsia and Zoonosis Research Group advised that the infection ‘is endemic over a wide geographical range in southern Chile (from Biobío Region in the North to Tierra del Fuego in the South’. It is acquired through the bites of infected chiggers or mites during outdoor activities so presents a risk for both locals and tourists. Read more
Advice for travellers
Scrub typhus is a bacterial disease passed on to humans by mites that normally live on rodents infected with the disease. Most travel-acquired cases occur when travellers camp, hike, or go river rafting in rural areas in endemic countries. Scrub typhus occurs throughout the Asia-Pacific region, where more than a million cases occur annually. There is no vaccine or prevention medication: avoidance hinges on minimising insect bites. Due to the disease’s 5- to 14-day incubation period, travellers often experience symptoms (fever, headache, malaise, and sometimes nausea, vomiting and a rash) after their trip. Read more about rickettsial diseases
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.