Background: Scrub typhus is a common zoonotic disease of rural Asia and Western Pacific islands. Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness characterized by fever, rash and lymphadenopathy. Cardiovascular complications of scrub typhus are not common and are usually not serious. Minor electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities such as non specific ST segment, T-wave changes and premature ventricular contractions have been reported in adults.
Methods: The electrocardiographic (EKG) manifestations were retrospectively evaluated in adult patients who acquired Orientia tsutsugamushi infection in Keimyung University, South Korea between January 2008 and December 2010.
Results: EKGs were normal in 72 of 113 patients (64%); minor nonspecific changes were found in the other 11 patients; ST segment/T wave changes (22%), Atrial fibrillation (5.3%), Atrial flutter (0.9%) and premature ventricular contractions (0.9%).
Conclusions: Cardiovascular complications of scrub typhus are not common and are usually not serious. Prompt treatment of scrub typhus with antibiotics prevents serious cardiac complications of the reported in the preantibiotic era.