Scrub typhus
Scrub typhus is a disease caused by bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is in the rickettsia family. You can get the disease when bitten (usually painlessly) by an infected larval mite called Leptotrombidium deliense.
Risk areas in the Top End are described as locations near well-watered escarpment slopes that have creeks and seepage areas with monsoon forest and grasslands close by.
More than half of the reported cases were infected in Litchfield National Park.
Notifiable disease
All forms of typhus is a notifiable disease.
Information for health professionals
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Scrub typhus fact sheet PDF (151.1 KB) | NT Health |
| Tropical Health Orientation Manual for health practitioners in Northern Australia | Scrub typhus | Centre for Remote Health |
Information for the public
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Webpage | Scrub typhus | NT Government |
Contact
Contact the Public Health Unit’s Centre for Disease Control.
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