• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.420-427
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• 2019

Scrub typhus is a fever-related disease that is commonly diagnosed during the autumn season. The number of patients affected by this disease continues to increase every year. However, the cause of the disease and the regional differences of its incidence are poorly understood. This study examined the epidemiological features and regional differences in the incidence of scrub typhus. The monthly incidence of cases from all reports rose to more than 90% during the fall season (October~December). Based on the analysis of the 18,851 cases in the epidemiological investigation, 14,777 (78.4%) and 4,074 (21.6%) cases occurred in high and low occurrence areas, respectively. Moreover, there were more female cases than male cases (males: 7,233 [38.4%]; females: 11,618 [61.6%]; P< 0.001). The clinical symptoms, including fever, chills, myalgia, and eschar of the body, were noted in 16,688 (89.1%), 11,533 (61.2%),11,439 (60.7%), and 6,005 (45.4%) cases, respectively. The incidence rates were higher for Gyeongnam, Jeonam, Jeonbuk, and Chungnam provinces. The areas with a high occurrence of scrub typhus were consistent with the areas experiencing a high distribution of Leptotrombidium scutellare. The incidence of scrub typhus has been rising owing to the increasing population of ticks due to global warming and increased agricultural and outdoor activities. Thus, continuous management of patients and preventive environmental measures are needed to control this disease.