A Review of Electrocardiography Changes and Clinical Manifestations in Scrub Typhus in a Single Center

Abstract

The mechanism of electrocardiography (ECG) changes in patients with scrub typhus is still not clear. Orientia tsutsugamushi causes vasculitis in scrub typhus patients, which result in non-specific damage to the heart. However, serious damage to myofibril of the heart is not accompanied. Thus, chronic cardiac sequelae are rare. In addition to myocarditis, a variety of cardiac complications such as myocardial infarction, pericarditis have been reported. Additional research is needed to clarify the main mechanisms that cause changes in the ECG in scrub typhus whether it comes from electrolyte imbalance, fever or cardiac injury such as myocarditis.

Scrub Typhus and Abnormal Electrocardiography

“…Moreover, as the mean age of patients with scrub typhus in the study from Thailand was 39 years [10], influences related to age or underlying disease would likely explain the observed differences in the frequency of ECG abnormalities. 12 Atrial fibrillation was the most commonly observed type of arrhythmia observed in patients with scrub typhus. In Korea, the reported prevalence rates of Afib were 0.7% in people aged ³ 40 years, 2.1% in people aged ³ 65 years, and 4.0% in people aged ³ 80 years.…”