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

• Published in: Korean journal of parasitology 2010-09, Vol.48 (3), p.237-243
• Main Authors: Kim, H.C., 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Detachment, 65th Medical Brigade, USA, Lee, I.Y., Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Chong, S.T., 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Detachment, 65th Medical Brigade, USA, Richards, Allen L., Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, USA, Gu, S.H., College of Medicine Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Song, J.W., College of Medicine Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Lee, John S., Virology Division, 1425 Porter Street, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA, Klein, Terry A., Force Health Protection and Preventive Medicine, 65th Medical Brigade/USAMEDDAC-Korea, USA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - immunology; Apodemus agrarius; Arachnid Vectors - classification; Arachnid Vectors - microbiology; chigger; Crocidura lasiura; Disease Reservoirs - classification; Disease Reservoirs - microbiology; Disease Reservoirs - parasitology; Humans; LEPTOTROMBIDIUM; Military Facilities; Mus musculus; Orientia tsutsugamushi - immunology; Orientia tsutsugamushi - isolation & purification; Original; Republic of Korea; Rodentia - classification; Rodentia - immunology; Rodentia - microbiology; Rodentia - parasitology; scrub typhus; Scrub Typhus - microbiology; Scrub Typhus - transmission; Scrub Typhus - veterinary; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Trombiculidae - classification; Trombiculidae - microbiology
• ISSN: 0023-4001; 1738-0006; 1738-0006
• DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2010.48.3.237

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. pal pale (15.7%), Neotrombicula tam/yai (14.3%), L. orientate (10.7%), L. zetum (3.1%), Walchia fragilis (2.1%), and L. gemiticutum (0.8%), while the remaining 3 species, L subintennedium, N. gardellai, and Euschoengastia koreaensis were rarely observed (prevalence less than 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. palpate (21.4), were observed during the spring season.