• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권5호
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• pp.559-564
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• 2020

A survey of rodents and chiggers associated with Orientia tsutsugamushi was conducted in a rural region of the Republic of Korea (Korea) between 2014 and 2018. Overall Apodemus agrarius 15.2% had the highest seropisitive for O. tsutsugamushi, followed by Myodes regulus 11.4%. Monthly risk factors using logistic regression analysis were not associated with O. tsutsugamushi infections in rodents. The overall prevalence rate of O. tsutsugamushi among chiggers was 0.3%. The chigger (Leptotrombidium scutellare) and monthly (October) risk factors were associated with O. tsutsugamushi human infections (P<0.05). Orientia tsutsugamushi infections are endemic in rodents in Korea and people, for example, soldiers who are active outdoors, must employ preventive measures, especially during October (P<0.05). When there are many reports of O. tsutsugamushi infections in Korea. The Boryong strain 85.7% (2/14) was the most common strain detected in chiggers, followed by the Shimokoshi 7.1% (1/14) and Karp 7.1% strains.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권3호
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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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• 제48권3호
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• pp.237-243
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• 2010

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 < 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.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제26권3호
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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.

• 한국동물학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.257-264
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• 1991

과거의 국내 털진드기에 관한 연구는 종 동정에 관한 것이 대부분이었고 근래에 와서 지역적 분포상을 조사한 몇개의 보고 예가 있을 뿐, 털진드기의 계절적 소장을 체계적으로 조사한 것은 아직 없는 실정이다. 이에 저자들은 1989년 7월부터 1990년 10월에 걸쳐 털진드기 개체군에 대한 지역적 분포상과 계절적 소장에 관한 조사를 쭈쭈가무시병의 매개종인 Leptotrombidium pallidum을 중심으로 실시하였다. 조사기간 중 Sherman식 live trap을 사용하여 포힉한 총 111마리의 들쥐로부터 4,498 개체의 털진드기를 채집하여 4속 12종을 동종하였는데, 쭈쭈가무시병의 매개종인 L. paflidum이 2,951 개체로 전체의 65.6%를 차지하여 우점종이었다. 일본에서 매개종으로 알려진L. scutellare는 1개체만 채집되었다. 털진드기의 개체군 밀도의 지리적 분포상이 종에 따라 심한 차이를 보여 각 조사 지역마다 우점종이 다르게 나타났다. 9개 조사지역 가운데 L. paflidum 개체군 밀도가 특히 높은 지역은 경기도 고양군 도래 5리와 경기도 부천시 부곡동의 2개 지역이었고, 다른 3개 지역에서는 타 종에 비해 극히 낮은 밀도를 보였다. 매개종 L. paflidum 개체군의 계절적 소장을 보면 9월(9.8%)에 출현하기 시작하여 10월(45.4%)과 11월(30.6%)에 집중적으로 발생하였고, 그 후 거의 자취를 감추었다가 4월(12.7%)에 일시적 증가를 보인 후 9월까지 거의 나타나지 않았다. L. palpale는 겨울과 봄에만 주로 출현하는 것으로 확인되었다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권2호
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• pp.153-159
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• 2020

The chigger mite Leptotrombidium sialkotense is one of the 6 main vectors of scrub typhus in China. Before present study, L. sialkotense was found in some parts of Hunan province, China with a narrow geographical distribution. During field investigation 2016-2017, we found L. sialkotense in Jingha, southern Yunnan, China. Of 15 small mammal host species, L. sialkotense were collected from 6 species of the hosts. Rattus brunneusculus was a dominant host of L. sialkotense, from which 98.3% of the mites were collected. The chigger mite showed a relatively high infestation prevalence (P_M =11.7%) and mean abundance (MA=0.5) in comparison with the rest 5 host species. These results reveal a certain host specificity of L. sialkotense to a rat R. brunneusculus. The mite L. sialkotense showed an aggregated distribution on the host (P<0.05). A positive correlation observed between L. sialkotense and the body length of hosts. There was a positive interspecific association between L. sialkotense and 2 other dominant vectors, L. deliense and L. scutellare.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.97-103
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• 1998

Yedang lake has so plentiful pondage and many species of fresh-walter-fish that a large number of people crowd around there all the year round. Most of them are not used to prevent tsutsugamushi disease spreading by chigger(T-mite). Accordingly, this study was carried out in order to obtain basic materials for prevention of this disease and the results are summarized as follows. The number of wild rat that captured in surveyed areas was sixty five(apodemus agrarius: 63, Rattus norvegicus: 2) during the period of a year and ration of captured rats to trap was about 8%. The dominant species of T-mite in all the surveyed areas were Leptotrombidium pallidum and L. palpale and the total number collected was 5782.9 with one family, two genra, eight species. The density of T-mites that collected from rats in three areas(Nodongri, Hatanbangri, Kyochonri) appeared $743.3{\pm}80.4,\;847.2{\pm}86.2\;and\;869.6{\pm}86.4,\;and\;in\;soil\;149.5{\pm}13.9,;154.7{\pm}14.7\;and\;182.4{\pm}20.8$ respectively. On the whole, the number of T-mite that collected from the rats was about three times as much as it in soil. The comparison of individual number of T-mite per a rat collected in three surveyed sites(A,B and C) showed 126.7, 243.1, 258.6 and per $2,000cm^3$ of soil 12.7, 12.7, 54.6, 103.5 respectively. In other word, the number of T-mite at site A and B is smaller than that at area C, thus comparing habitats of three sites each other, C is better living environment of rat and mite than that of A or B. Seasonl occuarance of t-mite that is from rat gradually was increased toward winter and showed the peak to January, and decreased since March but it in soil was inverse proportion to it from rats, because the larvae of T-mite that was hatched in soil was transmited to host in order to suck the body fluid.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.167-173
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• 2019

Rickettsial infections (Rickettsioses) are the causes of acute fever found in Thailand. It is classified as acute febrile illnesses transmitted by bloodsucking arthropod vectors (tick, flea, and chigger). This research investigated pathogens of scrub typhus in vectors from Bangkaew District, Phatthalung Province. A total of 303 pools of vector samples were ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. microplus, and Haemaphysalis sp.), fleas (Ctenocephalides felis orientis, C. f. felis, and C. canis), and chiggers (Leptotrombidium deliense, Aschoschoengastia indica, Blankaartia acuscutellaris and Walchia disparunguis pingue) collected from reservoir hosts (dogs and rodents). The 17 and 56 kDa gene of Rickettsia causing scrub typhus were found in 29% of ticks and 98% of flea. DNA sequence analysis reveeled the detected strains were R. asembonensis and Rickettsia sp. cf1 and 5.The chiggers, 1%, were infected with Rickettsia strain TA763, a pathogen of scrub typhus.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.181-188
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• 1991

최근 전국적으로 높은 이환률을 보이고 있는 쭈쭈가무시병에 대한 방제 대책이 시급한 현실에 반해 본 질병에 대한 연구가 거의 이루어져 있지 않기 때문에 저자들은 1989년 7월부터 1950년 9월까지 9개 지역에서 숙주동물에 대한 역학적 조사를 실시하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. 모두 794개의 Sherman식 live trap을 설치하여 111마리의 들쥐로 포획하여 trapping rate가 평균 14.0%이었다. 계절별로 보면 봄, 여름, 가을에 각각 11.7%, 11.2%, 12.8%이었고 겨울에는 24.0%로 가장 높았다. 포획한 111마리 중 103마리가 등줄쥐 (Apodemus agrarius)로 92.8%를 차지하여 우점종이었고, 땃쥐 (Crocidura Zasiura)가 7마리로 6.3%이었으며. 갈밭쥐 (Microtns fortis)는 1마리가 채집되어 0.9%이었다. 들쥐의 털진드기 기생률을 보면, 등줄쥐의 경우 103마리 중 84마리로 81.6%이었고, 땃쥐의 경우 7마리 중 2마리로 28.6%이었다. Chigger index는 등줄쥐의 경우 43.0개체였고 만취는 0.9개체였다. 2. 등줄쥐 혈청의 Rickettsia tsutsugamushi 항체 양성률을 보면 평균 41.8%이었는데, 조사 지역에 따라 큰 차이가 있어 고양군 도래 5리 54.9%, 고양군 고양리 20%, 고양군 원홍 2리 28.6%, 청인군 시목리 40%이었고 고양군 행신 1리, 파주군 광탄 3리 와 예산군 덕산리에서는 모두 음성이었다. 땃쥐의 경우는 7마리 모두 음성이었다. 동일 장소에서의 등줄쥐 혈청의 R. tsutsugamushi 항체 양성률의 계절적 변동은 11월부터 3웜까지는 평균 75.8%이었는데 4일에는 30.3%로 감소하였고 5월부터 8월에 걸쳐 평균 13.3%로 크게 감소하였다. 조사한 모든 양성 혈청의 항체가를 보면 Karp, Gilliam및 Kato 주에 대해 서로 교차반응을 나타냈는데 Karp주와 Kato 주 간에 보다 강한 교차반응을 보였다. 3. 총 94마리의 등줄쥐로부터 마우스 복강접종법과 간접 면역형광법으로 R. tsutsugamushl치 분리를 시도한 바 3마리에서 분리되어 감염률은 3.2%이었다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.27-36
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• 1995

쭈쭈가무시병 환자의 유병률이 가장 높은 남해안 연안지역과 유병률이 낮은 동해안 연안 지역에서 매개 진드기 및 들쥐와 연관되는 제반 역학적 비교조사를 1993년 10월에 실시하였다 채집된 6 종의 들쥐(187개체) 중 등줄쥐(Apodemugrwin)가 양지역에서 모두 절대 우점종이었고 개체군 밀도에 있어서도 차이가 없었다(트랩 채집률 각각 20.4%, 19.4%). 국내 매개종으로 확인된 Leptotrombidiumpalldum과 L. sueuare는 모두 채집된 6종의 들쥐중 등줄쥐에 주로 기생하였는데, 두당 각각 59마리와 69마리가 기생하고 있었다 등줄쥐의 Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, 병원체에 대한 항체 양성률은 남해안 43.2% 동해안 63.6%로 동해안 지역에서 약간 높게 나타나 환자 발생과는 다른 양상을 보였다. 지역에 관계없이 등줄쥐의 감염률(항체 양성률)과 매개종인 L. suteuure와 L. poninw의 개체군 밀도간에 높은 상관관계를 보였다(r : 0.87). 이와같은 사실은 들쥐에 대한 양종의 매개 효율성(vectorefacacy)이 똑같이 높다는 것을 의미한다. 양지역간의 가장 중요한 역학적 차이는 매개종으로. 남해안 지역에서는 L. sueuore가 절대 우점종(74.9%)인 반면 에 동해안 지역에서는 L. pallidum이 절대 우점종(60.4%)이었다. 두종의 개체군 밀도에는 큰 차이가 없었다. 조사지역이 불충분하여 확실하게 결론지을 수는 없지만 L. sueuqre의 개체군 밀도가 높을수록 환자 유병률도 높게 나타나 L. sueuare가 인체에 대한 매개효율성(vectorefacacy)이 L. pallidum보다 월등하게 높은 중요한 매개종이라 생각된다.