Home / Health / Kerala Researchers Identify Rare Scrub Typhus Case in Dubai
Kerala Researchers Identify Rare Scrub Typhus Case in Dubai
30 Oct, 2025
Summary
- Rare scrub typhus case identified in Thiruvananthapuram native returning from Dubai
- Scrub typhus now a leading cause of acute encephalitis in southern India
- Ongoing surveillance and epidemiological studies needed to understand disease spread
On October 30, 2025, Kerala-based medical researchers reported a rare case of scrub typhus in a resident of Thiruvananthapuram who had recently returned from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is significant as Dubai is not an endemic region for the disease.
The researchers, publishing their findings in the journal Mass Gathering Medicine, emphasized the need for increased epidemiological studies to understand how scrub typhus is affecting different populations in the region. They also called for ongoing surveillance in the area to monitor the situation.
Scrub typhus, caused by the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi and transmitted through infected chigger bites, has emerged as the leading infectious cause of acute encephalitis syndrome in southern India. In 2024, Kerala reported 981 cases and 19 deaths, with the majority concentrated in Thiruvananthapuram.
