Serosurveillance of Scrub Typhus in Small Mammals Collected from Military Training Sites near the DMZ, Northern Gyeonggi-do, Korea, and Analysis of the Relative Abundance of Chiggers from Mammals Examined.
10.3347/kjp.2010.48.3.237
- Author:
Heung Chul KIM
1
;
In Yong LEE
;
Sung Tae CHONG
;
Allen L RICHARDS
;
Se Hun GU
;
Jin Won SONG
;
John S LEE
;
Terry A KLEIN
Author Information
1. 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Detachment, 65th Medical Brigade, Unit # 15247, APO AP 96205-5247, USA.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
- Keywords:
Apodemus agrarius;
Mus musculus;
Crocidura lasiura;
chigger;
Leptotrombidium;
scrub typhus
- MeSH:
Animals;
Antibodies, Bacterial/immunology;
Arachnid Vectors/classification/*microbiology;
Disease Reservoirs/classification/microbiology/*parasitology;
Humans;
Military Facilities;
Orientia tsutsugamushi/*immunology/isolation & purification;
Republic of Korea;
Rodentia/classification/*immunology/microbiology/*parasitology;
Scrub Typhus/microbiology/*transmission/*veterinary;
Seroepidemiologic Studies;
Trombiculidae/classification/*microbiology
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2010;48(3):237-243
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Comprehensive quarterly serosurveillance on scrub typhus in small mammals collected from military training sites located near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), northern Gyeonggi-do (Province), ROK was conducted to determine the potential rodent-borne and associated ectoparasite disease risks to military personnel. A total of 1,196 rodents and insectivores representing 8 species, Apodemus agrarius (87.3%, n = 1,044), Mus musculus (5.4%, n = 65), Crocidura lasiura (3.3%, n = 40), Microtus fortis (2.6%, n = 31), Micromys minutus (0.3%, n = 4), Tscherskia triton (0.3%, n = 4), Rattus norvegicus (0.3%, n = 4), and Myodes regulus (0.3%, n = 4) were assayed for the presence of antibodies to Orientia tsutsugamushi. O. tsutsugamushi antibodies were detected in 6 of 8 species and seroprevalence determined; A. agrarius (45.6%), M. musculus (23.1%), M. fortis (48.4%), M. minutus (50.0%), T. triton (50.0%), and R. norvegicus (25.0%). A total of 31,184 chigger mites collected from 508 rodents and insectivores were slide-mounted and 10 species belonging to 4 genera were identified. Leptotrombidium pallidum (53.4%) was the most frequently collected, followed by L. palpale (15.7%), Neotrombicula tamiyai (14.3%), L. orientale (10.7%), L. zetum (3.1%), Walchia fragilis (2.1%), and L. gemiticulum (0.8%), while the remaining 3 species, L. subintermedium, N. gardellai, and Euschoengastia koreaensis were rarely observed (prevalence < 10%). In contrast to previous surveys, higher chigger indices of the primary scrub typhus vectors, L. pallidum (165.4), L. orientale (45.0), and L. palpale (21.4), were observed during the spring season.
