Pancreatitis in Scrub Typhus: a Rare Complication

Scrub typhus is a zoonosis transmitted by a trombiculid mite which introduces bacteria of Orientia tsutsugamushi by its bite. The acute febrile illness is characterised by eschar at the site of the bite with maculopapular rashes and local and/or generalised lymphadenopathy. The disease is endemic in the tsutsugamushi triangle. Sikkim, a small Himalayan north-eastern state, is also not unaffected where outbreaks of the disease have been reported. The clinical spectrum of the disease ranges from mild to fatal depending on the virulence of the bacterial strain, susceptibility of the host and promptness of the treatment. In severe cases, there can be multiple organ involvement. Pancreatitis is a serious and unusual complication of this disease, which was seen in our presentation. A 22-year-old man, diagnosed to have scrub typhus, developed pancreatitis in the second week of the illness and responded well to medical treatment.