A preliminary report on Scrub Typhus, which has been growing as an epidemic in various part of the country, has indicated that the disease is being caused by rats. Eight people have succumbed to this disease, according to government records.

Scrub typhus is an acute, febrile, infectious illness that is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi.

Rats have been cited as the main cause for the disease in a report submitted to Epidemiology and Disease Control Department by World Health Organisation (WHO) entomologists. “The growth of disease has been suspected due to the direct human contact with rats that have come out after many houses collapsed during the April 25 earthquake,” said Department Director Dr Baburam Marasini.

The WHO entomologists had collected blood samples from the patients and rodents along with parasitic organisms found in the rats in Dhading district which has been sent to Bangkok for further tests, informed Dr Marasini.

According to Dr Gita Shakya at Teku-based National Health Training Center, the disease has been found in 75 out of 119 samples collected throughout the nation. Of them, Scrub Typhus has been confirmed in 15 out of 31 samples from Dhangadi, 10 out of 31 samples from Dhading and 4 out of 6 samples from Dharan. Likewise, the disease was found in samples collected from Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Khotang, Doti, Achham, Kailali, Dadeldhura, Siraha, among other places.