Microbial pathogens in ticks, rodents and a shrew in northern Gyeonggi-do near the DMZ, Korea.
- Author:
Joon Seok CHAE
1
;
Do Hyeon YU
;
Smriti SHRINGI
;
Terry A KLEIN
;
Heung Chul KIM
;
Sung Tae CHONG
;
In Yong LEE
;
Janet FOLEY
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
- Keywords: Bartonella; Borrelia; Rickettsia; rodents; Crocidura lasiura; tick-borne pathogens
- MeSH: Anaplasma phagocytophilum/genetics/isolation & purification; Animals; Biological Warfare; DNA, Bacterial/genetics/isolation & purification; Ehrlichiosis/transmission/veterinary; Humans; Korea; Mice/*microbiology; Rats/*microbiology; Seasons; Shrews/*microbiology; Ticks/*microbiology; Zoonoses
- From:Journal of Veterinary Science 2008;9(3):285-293
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: A total of 1,618 ticks [420 individual (adults) and pooled (larvae and nymphs) samples], 369 rodents (Apodemus arius, Rattus norvegicus, Tscherskia triton, Mus musculus, and Myodes regulus), and 34 shrews (Crocidura lasiura) that were collected in northern Gyeonggi-do near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of Korea during 2004-2005, were assayed by PCR for selected zoonotic pathogens. From a total of 420 individual and pooled tick DNA samples, Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum (16), A. platys (16), Ehrlichia (E.) chaffeensis (63), Borrelia burgdorferi (16), and Rickettsia spp. (198) were detected using species-specific PCR assays. Out of 403 spleens from rodents and shrews, A. phagocytophilum (20), A. platys (34), E. chaffeensis (127), and Bartonella spp. (24) were detected with species-specific PCR assays. These results suggest that fevers of unknown causes in humans and animals in Korea should be evaluated for infections by these vector-borne microbial pathogens.
