Chitwan, September 12 A team tasked with the study of mice that are supposed to be behind the spread of scrub typhus in Chitwan and elsewhere lately, completed the first leg of its work. The team, in three days, has collected viscera samples from different parts of western Chitwan. According to Public Health Office Chitwan Insect Controller Inspector Ram Kumar KC, most of the mice caught were found to be carrying the mite responsible for spreading the disease. “Though the team had set traps for 100 mice, only 10 were caught,” he said, adding, “Of the 10 mice caught, mite was found on seven of them in a test.” The team comprised representatives from Health Service Department National Public Health Laboratory, Epidemiology and Disease Control Department, Shukraraj Tropical Hospital Kathmandu, Insect-related Disease and Research Centre Hetauda and District Public Health Office of Chitwan. They had reached the houses of scrub typhus patients in Sharadanagar, Parbatipur, Shankarchowk and Bikashchowk to catch the mice in question. Further, KC explained that whether the mites collected carry the bacteria of the disease will be confirmed only after a test. “Besides, livers, lungs, hearts and blood of the mice have also been collected and sent to Kathmandu for test,” he said, adding, “The test result will come in a week following a test by a team including experts from Thailand in Kathmandu.” The team led by EDCD public health Inspector Resham Lamichhane had also collected blood samples from scrub typhus patients and their neighbours. The samples were also tested in Kathmandu. Meanwhile, the samples collected by the labs at Bharatpur Hospital and Chitwan Medical College have also been sent to the Capital. According to KC, 16 samples from CMC and 10 from Bharatpur hospital have been sent for tests.