Antibiotic Treatment for Scrub Typhus: A PRIMS-Compliant Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

In Asia, scrub typhus is the most prevalent form of acute febrile sickness. The bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi is the cause of this zoonotic disease. According to estimates, 1 billion individuals are at risk of infection, and there are 1 million new cases per year. If the illness is not treated, the mortality rate may reach 30%. The most common sign of scrub typhus is fever, which may also be associated with headache, cough, shortness of breath, and symptoms of the brain such as confusion and disorientation. Data were gathered from PubMed, an electronic database. Scrub Typhus, Antibiotics, and Orientia Tsutsugamushi are utilized as keywords. References in the studies were received to identify additional studies. The study is a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether azithromycin, doxycycline, and rifampin have therapeutic effectiveness equivalents. In conclusion, scrub typhus remains an important health issue in endemic places, as per the review studies, Azithromycin is as effective as other drugs. Rifampicin is also an effective drug but it is an anti-tb drug so rifampicin is considered a second-line drug for treating Scrub typhus. Doxycycline may cause many side effects in pregnant women and children, but azithromycin is approved as a safer drug by the FDA for pregnant women and children. Therefore Azithromycin is an effective treatment for scrub typhus because of its lesser side effects and can be given to pregnant women and children.