Tsutsugamushi disease (Scrub typhus) is an acute, febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted to humans through chigger bites. Leptospirosis, a febrile disease caused by various pathogenic Leptospira, and is acquired by exposure to contaminated water and soil. Both diseases have been the most common acute febrile diseases in the autumn in Korea for many years. Concomitant leptospirosis and scrub typhus is quite rare. We report a case of a coinfection with leptospirosis and scrub typhus in a 51-year-old male who presented with fever, abdominal pain and acute dyspnea. The patient was diagnosed with as acalculous cholecystitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and septic shock caused by the infection. This is the first case report of a coinfection with leptospirosis and scrub typhus in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Acalculous Cholecystitis ; Coinfection ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Humans ; Korea ; Leptospira ; Leptospirosis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Scrub Typhus* ; Shock, Septic ; Soil ; Trombiculidae ; Water Pollution