Identification of Trombiculid Chigger Mites Collected on Rodents from Southern Vietnam and Molecular Detection of Rickettsiaceae Pathogen
10.3347/kjp.2020.58.4.445
- Author:
Minh Doan BINH
1
;
Sinh Cao TRUONG
;
Dong Le THANH
;
Loi Cao BA
;
Nam Le VAN
;
Binh Do NHU
Author Information
1. Ho Chi Minh Institute of Malariology-Parasitology and Entomology, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:The Korean Journal of Parasitology
2020;58(4):445-450
- CountryRepublic of Korea
-
Abstract:
Trombiculid “chigger” mites (Acari) are ectoparasites that feed blood on rodents and another animals. A crosssectional survey was conducted in 7 ecosystems of southern Vietnam from 2015 to 2016. Chigger mites were identified with morphological characteristics and assayed by polymerase chain reaction for detection of rickettsiaceae. Overall chigger infestation among rodents was 23.38%. The chigger index among infested rodents was 19.37 and a mean abundance of 4.61. A total of 2,770 chigger mites were identified belonging to 6 species, 3 genera, and 1 family, and pooled into 141 pools (10-20 chiggers per pool). Two pools (1.4%) of the chiggers were positive for Orientia tsutsugamushi. Ricketsia spp. was not detected in any pools of chiggers. Further studies are needed including a larger number and diverse hosts, and environmental factors to assess scrub typhus.
