Mathura, Aug 30 (IANS): Twenty-nine cases of mite-borne rickettsiosis, known as 'scrub typhus', have surfaced during primary investigation in Mathura, a first for the district.

The health department has sounded an alert after the lab reports confirmed that 29 patients, aged between two to 45 years, had tested positive on Sunday.

Scrub typhus is spread to people through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites).

The most common symptoms include fever, headache, body aches and sometimes rash. In severe cases, it can result in pneumonitis, encephalitis, mental changes ranging from confusion to coma, congestive heart failure and circulatory collapse.

Additional director of health department, A.K. Singh, said: "At least 29 cases of scrub typhus have been reported in Mathura district. Required medicines have been provided to the patients and none of them is critical. We have issued an alert regarding its spread to other districts.

"Early diagnosis is important. Patients are put on antibiotics and they recover fully after a week-long course of treatment."