Educational Content: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Definition of Tsutsugamushi disease
Medically reviewed by Dr. Otari Nergadze, Neurosurgeon | Updated: January 2026
Tsutsugamushi disease: A mite-borne infectious disease caused by a microorganism, Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, characteristically with fever, headache, a raised (macular) rash, swollen glands (lymphadenopathy) and a dark crusted ulcer (called an eschar or tache noire) at the site of the chigger (mite larva) bite. This disease occurs in the area bounded by Japan, India, and Australia. Known also as Tsutsugamushi fever, mite-borne typhus, and tropical typhus.