How to treat scrub typhus during pregnancy?

Question

Hello doctor,

My wife tested positive for scrub typhus last week. She is six months pregnant and the regular medications are apparently not safe during pregnancy. Her fever keeps spiking to 103 and she is having severe abdomen pain. The bite mark on her leg is getting bigger and more purple. Can this affect our baby? Which medicines are safe? The local gynecologist seems confused about the treatment.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Many drugs are unsafe during pregnancy but keeping in view of scrub typhus, it needs to be treated on a priority basis as how much delay that much it may start involving other organs of the body, then it becomes difficult to manage as almost all drugs have some side effects.

Treatment of scrub typhus in pregnancy are:

Tablet Azithromycin can be used safely twice a day with
Tablet Paracetamol 500 milligrams twice to thrice a day as per fever
Tablet Levocetirizine 10 milligrams for allergic reaction and itching and inflammation.

These drugs are found safe as per research studies so yes can be taken. You need to consult your gynecologist before taking the above medications.

It usually takes two weeks to four weeks for cure and recovery. At this moment, keeping an eye on the baby's movements, looking for any spotting, increased frequency of vomiting, or increased headache, then a physical checkup is needed.

I hope this has helped you.

Please feel free to reach me again, in case of further queries.

Thank you.