Objective To study the clinical characteristics and treatment of adult patients with tsutsugamushi disease in Nantong area,and to reduce the misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.Methods Clinical data of 24 adult patients with tsutsugamushi disease who were admitted between 2010 and 2012 at Department of Emergency Medicine in Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University were reviewed retrospectively.The patients were 13 males and 11 females who were aged from 25 to 70 years old.Minocycline capsule was orally administrated as the mainstay of the therapy.Results All of the 24 cases of tsutsugamushi disease were presented with fever,predominantly with high fever.The body temperature of higher than 39 ℃ was recorded in 23 cases,and temperature of 38.0 ℃ to 38.9 ℃ was recorded in one case.Three cases complained with sore throat and cough,and 1 case with palpitation and chest distress.One eschar or ulcer was seen in 21 cases,2 eschars or ulcers only in 1 case.Twenty-one cases were presented with lymphadenopathy,11 cases with rash,3 cases with enlargement of the liver,and 4 cases with splenomegaly.The distribution of eschar or ulcer included inaxillary fossa,groin,external genitalia and crissum,waist,popliteal fossa,the lower edge of the female breast and skin folds of chest wall,the inside of the wrist,ankle,neck,retroauricular region,chest-back and the buttocks.The white blood cell count of (2.5-3.9) × 109/L in blood routine test was seen in 4 cases,(10.1-18.6) × 109/L in 3 cases.The blood platelet count was decreased in 1 case.Urinary protein was positive in 4 cases by urine routine examination.Blood biochemical examination revealed that elevated serum alanine aminotransferase was seen in 2 cases,elevated serum creatinine was in 1 case,mildly elevated cardiac troporin I was in 1 case,increased C-reactive protein was found in 19 cases.On Weil-Felix test,17 cases showed OXk titers of 1∶160-1∶320.Four cases showed an increase in overall lung markings,localized pulmonary infiltration shadow and even small pleural effusion on chest radiography.Electrocardiogram showed premature ventricular beats and slight ST segment changes in 2 patients.Oral minocycline showed obvious effect.Conclusions The clinical manifestations of tsutsugamushi disease can be variable.Multi organ dysfunction could be presented besides fever.The skin eschar and ulcer are the most pathognomonic for this disease and thus should be thoroughly examined for its presence to avoid misdiagnosis.