• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.101-112
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• 1976

1. It has been found in the karyotype of Apodemus agrarius coreae that No. 1 chromosome pair is subtelocentric and this is the new chromosome type in comparison with acro-telocentric No. 1 pair of the other subpecies. 2. It was reported in the Karyotype of Microtus fortis from USSR that the autosome consisted of 2 submetacentric, 10 metacentric and 38 acrocentric chromosomes, and that X is acrocentric and Y is small acrocentric one. In the present study, however, the autosome of M. fortis pelliceus in Korea is composed of three groups; 4 subtelocentric, 10 meta-submetacenric, and 36 acrocentric one. And X is the largest metacentric chromosome of the complement. Y is smaller acrocentric one. Thus, it has been found that the karyotype of M. fortis in Korea differs from that of the same species in USSR. In the karyotype of this red vole, two pairs of heteromorohic chromosome with respect to the size of their secondary constrictions have been shown in the acrocentric group. 3. The diploid number of Cricetulus triton nestor was found to be 28, and its chromosome size ranges from 7.5 $\\mu$ to 1.5 $\\mu$. Autosomes contains 11 large acrocentric pairs and two pairs of very small metacentric ones. This feature is simillar to that of Tscherskia triton found USSR.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.511-520
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• 2006

The study analyzed the distribution of mammalia per altitude in Gamebong, the highest trail of Juwangsan National Park and confirmed the inhabitation of 22 different species inhabiting in the park. Starting from 200 m to 800 m above the sea level was segmented into 100 m unit. The result of analysis has shown that the Tamias sibiricus is the dominant specie throughout in all segments. Species confirmed to be inhabiting in all segments of research areas were Mustela sibirica, Caproelus pygargus and squirrel. By analyzing the confirmed Field Sign basing from the observation point, it has shown close relations between types of species and population following the increase in altitude (y=-0.0234 + 25.552, $R^2$=0.9296, $F_{0.05}$(1,4)=7.71, p<0.05). However, the result of analysis targeting nine species inhabiting in at least five out of six 100 m segmented units has shown that only two species, Apodemus sgrarius (y=-0.034X+25.2, $R^2$=0.905, $F_{0.05}$(1, 4)=38.169, p<.0.01) and Sciurus vulgaris (y=-0.0154X+ 12.819, $R^2$=0.781, $F_{0.05}$(1, 4)=14.270, p<0.05) were affected by the altitude. Therefore, it is judged that the distribution of species does not follow the altitude variation but follows the food conditions and the structure of habitat. The result of analysis of Box and Whisker Diagram had shown lowest quartile deviation($Q_U-Q_L$) in Nature Restoration Area that is located in $200{\sim}300m$ above the sea level, where hikers are prohibited from entering. In $500{\sim}600m$ above the sea level segment that has similar food environment and trail, it has shown the widest distribution. Further research is required on this segment for the excretion drops of Prionailurus bengalensis, a Grade II class of endangered species, were found on the trails.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2016

Roads are widely accepted to be as a major cause of habitat fragmentation. The wildlife road-crossing structure is one of the most acceptable alternatives among the solutions to provide connectivity between patches isolated by roads. We investigated noise disturbance, vegetation structure and wildlife crossing and habitation at a wildlife road-crossing structure located at the Jingmaei-Pass in Incheon, Korea, to monitor and evaluate its conservation value and ecological performance and to propose measures for their adaptive management. From the result of noise measurement, the noise disturbance from the road traffic was not properly blocked out at the wildlife crossing structure. The survey results of vegetation structure showed that the early-successional plant species such as Ambrosia trifida, Erigeron annuus, Pueraria lobata, Rosa multiflora invaded widely on the crossing structure. An efficient management of the vegetation should be necessarily considered for the facilitation of vegetation succession and the improvement of animal habitat. The crossing structure was used by limited mammal species: Apodemus agrarius, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Mogera wogura and Sciurus vulgaris coreae as the results of the monitoring using footprints and closed-circuit television. In conclusion, The Jingmaei-Pass wildlife crossing structure is unable to function properly as a biological corridor because of the interference of noise and flourishing disturbed vegetation. Therefore, proper alternatives are required for improving animal habitats and mobile environments to enhance the ecological function of a wildlife corridor.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 1992

Because no reference on trombiculid mites (Acarina: Trombiculidae) in Cheju Island where tsutsugamushi disease is highly endemic had been available, studies on trombiculid mites in Cheju Island were implemented during the period of August 1991-Apil 1992, and the results obtained are summarized as follows: (1) The species and numbers of the field rodents collected were 143 Apodemus agrarius chejuensis (92.3%), 11 Crocidura lasiura (7. l%) and 1 Micromys minutus (0.6%) From total 12,075 chiggers harvested, 9 species of 4 genera in Trombiculidae were identified. (2) The predominant species through all seasons was 1. setum (43.3%), followed by 1. orientale (27.4%) and 1. scutellare (26.6%). However, in autumn when the most cases of tsutsugamushi disease occur, 1. scutellere was prominently predominant, having 79.8% of the collected chiggers. (3) Among 1,1421. scutellare examined for Rickettsia tsutsugpmushi by means of IFA test, 6 individuals were found positive showing 0.5% of infection rate. This is the first finding that 1. scutellere is the second vector species of tsutsugamushi disease in Korea. (4) Antibody positive rate of A. agrarius chejuensis sera were 31.2% (44/139), and 1 M. minutes serum was also found positive. The seropositive rates by season were not so significantly different. Key words: Tsutsugamushi disease, epidemiology, vector species, Cheju Island, Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.307-313
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• 2016

Serosurveillance for zoonotic diseases in small mammals and detection of chiggers, the vector of Orientia tsutsugamushi, were conducted from September 2014 to August 2015 in Gwangju Metropolitan Area. Apodemus agrarius was the most commonly collected small mammals (158; 91.8%), followed by Myodes regulus (8; 4.6%), and Crocidura lasiura (6; 3.5%). The highest seroprevalence of small mammals for O. tsutsugamushi (41; 26.3%) was followed by hantaviruses (24; 15.4%), Rickettsia spp. (22; 14.1%), and Leptospira (2; 1.3%). A total of 3,194 chiggers were collected from small mammals, and 1,236 of 3,194 chiggers were identified with 7 species of 3 genera: Leptotrombidium scutellare was the most commonly collected species (585; 47.3%), followed by L. orientale (422; 34.1%), Euchoengastia koreaensis (99; 8.0%), L. palpale (58; 4.7%), L. pallidum (36; 2.9%), Neotrombicula gardellai (28; 2.3%), and L. zetum (8; 0.6%). L. scutellare was the predominant species. Three of 1,236 chigger mites were positive for O. tsutsugamushi by PCR. As a result of phylogenetic analysis, the O. tsutsugamushi strain of chigger mites had sequence homology of 90.1-98.2% with Boryong. This study provides baseline data on the distribution of zoonotic diseases and potential vectors for the development of prevention strategies of vector borne diseases in Gwangju metropolitan area.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.301-308
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• 2020

Owing to global climate change, the global resurgence of vector-borne infectious diseases and their potential to inflict widespread casualties among human populations has emerged as a pivotal burden on public health systems. Tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus) in the Republic of Korea is steadily increasing and was designated as a legal communicable disease in 1994. The disease is a mite-borne acute febrile disease most commonly contracted from October to December. In this study, we tried to determine the prevalence of tsutsugamushi disease transmitted by chigger mites living on rodents and investigated their target vector diversity, abundance, and distribution to enable the mapping of hotspots for this disease in 2015. A total of 5 species belonging to 4 genera (109 mites): Leptotrombidium scutellare 60.6%, L. pallidum 28.4% Neotrombicula tamiyai 9.2%, Euschoengastia koreaensis/0.9%), and Neoschoengastia asakawa 0.9% were collected using chigger mite collecting traps mimicking human skin odor and sticky chigger traps from April to November 2015. Chigger mites causing tsutsugamushi disease in wild rodents were also collected in Hwaseong for the zoonotic surveillance of the vector. A total of 77 rodents belonging to 3 genera: Apodemus agrarius (93.5%), Crocidura lasiura (5.2%), and Micromys minutus (1.3%) were collected in April, October, and November 2015. The most common mite was L. pallidum (46.9%), followed by L. scutellare (18.6%), and L. orientale (18.0%). However, any of the chigger mite pools collected from rodent hosts was tested positive for Orientia tsutsugamushi, the pathogen of tsutsugamushi disease, in this survey.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.135-139
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• 2015

A total of 1,708 small mammals (1,617 rodents and 91 soricomorphs), including Apodemus agrarius (n = 1,400), Microtus fortis (167), Crocidura lasiura (91), Mus musculus (32), Myodes (= Eothenomys) regulus (9), Micromys minutus (6), and Tscherskia (= Cricetulus) triton (3), were live-trapped at US/Republic of Korea (ROK) military training sites near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Paju, Pocheon, and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province from December 2004 to December 2009. Small mammals were examined for their intestinal nematodes by necropsy. A total of 1,617 rodents (100%) and 91 (100%) soricomorphs were infected with at least 1 nematode species, including Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia obvelata, Heterakis spumosa, Protospirura muris, Capillaria spp., Trichuris muris, Rictularia affinis, and an unidentified species. N. brasiliensis was the most common species infecting small mammals (1,060; 62.1%) followed by H. polygyrus (617; 36.1%), S. obvelata (370; 21.7%), H. spumosa (314; 18.4%), P. muris (123; 7.2%), and Capillaria spp. (59; 3.5%). Low infection rates (0.1-0.8%) were observed for T. muris, R. affinis, and an unidentified species. The number of recovered worms was highest for N. brasiliensis (21,623 worms; mean 20.4 worms/infected specimen) followed by S. obvelata (9,235; 25.0 worms), H. polygyrus (4,122; 6.7 worms), and H. spumosa (1,160; 3.7 worms). A. agrarius demonstrated the highest prevalence for N. brasiliensis (70.9%), followed by M. minutus (50.0%), T. triton (33.3%), M. fortis (28.1%), M. musculus (15.6%), C. lasiura (13.2%), and M. regulus (0%). This is the first report of nematode infections in small mammals captured near the DMZ in ROK.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2003

Scrub typhus and murine typhus are common endemic febrile illness in the fall in Korea. Scrub typhus is caused by Orientia tsutsugomushi, murine typhus is caused by Rickettsia typhi. Trombiculid mites are known as both the vector and the reservoir host of O tsutsugamushi, the mites which transmit O tsutsugomushi have been reported to be Leptotrombidium pallidum and L scutellare. The author carried out an epidemiological study of scrub typhus and murine typhus in Kyodong-Myeon, Kanghwa-Gun, Incheon in relation to the residents and the host rodents, such as their distribution, seroepidemiology, and population density of chigger mites. 1. Out of 900 residents, 33(3.7%) showed positive reaction to O tsutsugamushi, 24(2.7%) to R typhi. 2. In the seropositives to O tsutsugamushi or R typhi, between the sixties and the seventies of the age were dominant. 3. In the seropositives to O tsutsugamushi serotypically Gilliam was dominant. 4. Among the total 42 field rodents trapped by the sherman traps, 18 rodents were Apodemus agrarius(42.9%), 13 rodents were Crocidura lasiura(31.0%), 5 rodents were Musmusculus(11.9%), 2 rodents(4.8%) were Crocidura suaveolens, Rattus norvegicus, Tscherskia triton, respectively. 5. Out of 42 field rodents, 25 were parasitized by 4,419 chigger mites, showing 59.5% of the infestation rate and 98.8 of the chigger index. L pallidum parasitized in A agrarius, C lasiura, M musculus, R norvegicus and T triton, and L scutellare parasitized only C lasiura. 6. Antibodies in the sera of field rodents against O tsutsugamushi and R typhi were investigated by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique. Positive rate of antibody against O tsutsugamushi were 11.9(5 of 42) and all of the positive is A agrarius. Antibody against R typhi was not detected. These results might provide the basic information for the management of scrub typhus and murine typhus in Kyodong-myeon, where the epidemiological studies on scrub typhus and murine typhus was not carried out enough.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 1995

Comparative epidemiological studies on vector reservoir animals of tsutsugamushi disease were carried out in between south coast (the highest endemic) areas and east coast flow endemicl areas in October 1993. Fauna of field rodents and their population densities were not different between two areas. Antibody positive rate of Apodemus agrarius sera was higher in east coast (43.2% in south coast and 63.6% in east coast). High correlation (r = 0.87) was shown between antibody positive rate of A. osrwiur sera and population density of the vector mites (Leptotrombidium scutellare and 1. pnllidunl). L. scutellare was predominant in south coast, showing 110.6 chigger index (74.9% of the total chiggersl , whereas L. pcllidum was predominant in east coast, showing 126.3 chigger index (60.4% of the total). As higher population density of 1. scutellare was found in south coast where the prevalence rate of tsutsugamushi disease is the highest, it is believed that L. scutellare is more important vector species than L. pallidum which may result from more frequent vector-human contact.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.171-180
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• 1997

Studies on geographical distributions and relative population densities of the vector mites of tsutsugamushi disease were carried out in October 1996 at 12 locations of the mid south inland of the Korean peninsula, where chigger mites have been never studied. Of 177 field rodents and insectivores collected. 154 (87.0%) were Apodemus ngrarius. Total 25,707 chigger mites were collected and 14 species were identified. of which Leptotrombidium pnllidum was predominant (79.8%) and L. palpate the next (8.9%) . L. pallidum, the vector species, was widely distributed in all study areas, showing the highest density at Cho-o 2-dong, Sangju-si (chigger index 201.8), and the lowest at Tanwol-dong. Chungiu-si (chigger index 40.7) . The other vector species, L. scutellare was found only at the southern part of the study area such as Yobae and Mipyong, Kumrung gun and Vnsu , Kimchon-si. The northernmost areas of the L. scutellcre distribution were coincided with the areas where actual mean air temperature is above 10.0%. Among 157 A. ograrius sera tested, 48.3% was Karp, 1.7% william and 3.3% Kuroki. The rest of the sera were not able to determine the sexto-type because of the cross antigen-antibody reactions among the tested sero-types.