Expert Reassure Mizos ‘No Reason To Panic Over Indian Tick Typhus’

Aizawl, Apr 20 : 'Indian Tick Typhus', which caused the death of five people in remote Thanzamasora village in Lunglei district here is non-contagious, according to Health and Family Welfare department sources.

The revelation came in the wake of widespread panic after the health department’s confirmation of the cause of the deaths.

The release stated that there were public queries about the disease amidst a wrong perception that there was an outbreak of an unknown disease in Mizoram.

'Indian Tick Typhus' is an infectious disease caused by Rickettsia, a group of very tiny bacteria, borne from ticks of pet dogs and rodents, giving rise to some physical symptoms in victims like purple rash, headache, viral fever and bouts of delirium.

''It is a very rare disease and is not contagious. The outbreak was confined to a pocket area of Thanzamasora which is surrounded dense forest making the dogs and rodents vulnerable to the rickettsia-carrying ticks,'' the release said.

The health department said the cause of deaths was confirmed when the blood samples, taken from the deceased, were tested at the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi.

The disease can be treated with Doxycycline, Tetracycline, Cloranphenicol and Clarithromycin and is not dangerous if treated in time.

The release further stated that ticks from the dogs of Thanzamasora village were collected by doctors on April 13, and will be sent to the laboratory.

This disease had been found among the workers of the tea garden in Kerela state in 2004 and a French tourist was also infected in September, 1999, the release added.