Emerging treatments

Minocycline

There is limited evidence to support the use of minocycline, a tetracycline class antibiotic, for the treatment of scrub typhus in adults. It was associated with a relatively better cure rate, shorter fever duration, and less adverse events compared to doxycycline.[32] However, doxycycline is currently considered the preferred option for all patients.​

Fluoroquinolones

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin) are being investigated for the treatment of scrub typhus. One meta-analysis found that second-generation fluoroquinolones were associated with a non-inferior cure rate compared to doxycycline, and a significantly lower risk of adverse effects. However, due to the small number of studies included, the authors concluded that more large-scale randomised controlled trials are required.[32]

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