• 한국동물학회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.17-28
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• 1959

In Korea ,little attention was paid to chiggers until 1950 so only to reports on four species of chiggers were pulished before Korean War. Since 1950 (beginning of Korean War), a marked progress in the study of chiggers has been made in connection with investigations of Epidemic hemorrhagic fever occurring among the United Nations troops which was suspected as a chigger-borne infectious disease and the first report of tsutsugamushi disease in Korea called natives attention to chiggers as the vector mites of this newly known disease in Korea. This paper is mostly based on specimens of author's collections from 3269 Rodentia Insectivora, 9 Chiroptera, 24 Aves , 35 Amphibia and 3 Reptilia during the time from December 1955 to December 1956 but four species were introduced here from works of others . There are reported here five species of chiggers previously known only out of Korea and a new species also. This new species was collected by author but Lipovsky informed his colleague had collected the same one in Korea and they would publish it as new one in near future. This is the reason of describing the new species without specific name . Of course, this paper is incomplete in view of the geographic distribution, seosonal change and host relation etc, but will serve as a brief summary of the chiggers fauna of Korea up to the present. This species described here are as follows : Gahrliepia brennani var. ventralis Neoschongastia posekanyi Euschongastia kigtajimai Euschongastia miyagawai Euschongastia koreaensis Trombicula nagayoi Trombicula japonica Trombicula pomeranzevi Trombicula mitamurai Trombicula tamiyai Trombicula palpalis Trombicula orientalis Trombicula pallida Trombicula scutellaris Trobmicula miotis Trombicula hiranumai Trombicula sp. Trombicula hiranumai Trombicula sp. Trombicula subintermedius Shunsennia tarsalis . Euschongastia ikaoensis . Trombicula koomori Trombicul subakanushi

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.367-370
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• 2011

Studies on the relative abundance of potential vectors of scrub typhus was conducted from April to October 2009 at the Jangseong of Jeonnam Province, Korea. Among the total 62 field rodents collected by the Sherman collapsible traps, 56 rodents were $Apodemus$ $agrarius$ (90.3%), 4 were $Crocidura$ $lasiura$ (6.4%) and 2 were $Cricetulus$ $triton$ $nester$ (3.2%). Out of the 62 field rodents, 39 were parasitized by chiggers, showing 62.9% of the infestation rate and 80.0 of the chigger index. Chigger index of $A.$ $agrarius$ and $C.$ $triton$ $nester$ were 79.9, 82.0, respectively. But chigger mite was not collected from $C.$ $lasiura$. From the trapped field rodents, 3,120 chiggers were collected and identified with 6 species of 2 genera. $Leptotrombidium$ $scutellare$, the vector species of tsutsugamushi disease, was the dominant species, showing 2,276 chiggers (72.9%). $L.$ $pallidum$ was the second dominant species showing 346 chiggers (11.0%). The distribution of chigger mites was showed the different dominant species according to seasons. $L.$ $pallidum$ was the predominant chigger collected in April (34.8%), May (77.8%) and Jun (39.3%), whereas $L.$ $scutellare$ was the predominant chigger collected in September (78.78%) and October (76.8%).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.87-92
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• 1991

1989년 7월∼11월에 걸쳐 9개 지역에서 생포한 48마리의 등줄쥐(Apodemus agrarius)로부터 4,142개체의 털진드기(Acarina: Trombiculidae) 유충을 채집하였다. 이들 중 10종 990개체를 해부하여 그 내용 물질로부터 쭈쭈가무시병의 병원체를 간접 면역형광항체법으로 조사하였다 L. pallidum 유충 447개체 가운데 2개체에서 병원체인 Rickettsia tsutsugamushi를 발견하여 본중이 쭈쭈가무시병의 매개종임을 확인하였고, 감염률은 0.4%이었다.

• 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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• 제61권3호
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• pp.263-271
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• 2023

The present study aimed to survey the prevalence of chigger mites and Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi) infection in the northern regions of Gangwon-do, Korea. From early February to early June 2015, a total of 17,050 chiggers were collected from striped field mice, Apodemus agrarius, in Cheorwon-gun, Hwacheon-gun, Yanggu-gun, and Goseong-gun, which are well-known endemic areas of scrub typhus in Korea. The chiggers were analyzed using molecular genomic methods, as previously described. Among the 7,964 identified chiggers, the predominant species was Leptotrombidium pallidum (76.9%), followed by L. zetum (16.4%), L. orientale (4.3%), L. palpale (0.3%), L. tectum (0.2%), and Neotrombicula tamiyai (1.8%). The chigger index (CI) was highest in Hwacheon (115.58), followed by Cheorwon (97.02), Yanggu (76.88), and Goseong (54.68). Out of the 79 O. tsutsugamushi-positive chigger pools, 67 (84.8%) were identified as the Boryong strain, 10 (12.7%) as the Youngworl strain, and only 2 were the Jecheon strain. Based on the high infestation of chiggers in striped field rodents and the high rate of O. tsutsugamushi infection in chigger mites, Hwacheon-gun and Cheorwon-gun are presumed to be high-risk areas for scrub typhus. Furthermore, L. pallidum, a major vector of scrub typhus, and the dominant O. tsutsugamushi serotype, the Boryong strain, were found in the northern regions of Gangwon-do, Korea.

• 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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• 제58권4호
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• pp.445-450
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• 2020

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.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.242-246
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• 2016

2013년 4월부터 11월까지 전라남도 곡성군 지역을 대상으로 들쥐를 포획하고 기생하는 털진드기의 분포를 조사하였다. 597개의 trap에서 79마리를 포획하여 포획률은 13.2%였고, 종류별로는 등줄쥐가 92.4%를 차지하여 절대 우점종이었다. 79마리의 들쥐중 68마리에 털진드기가 기생하고 있어 86.0%의 기생률을 보였고, 74.5개체의 chigger index를 보였다. 5,063개체의 채집한 털진드기는 2속 6종으로 동정되었고, 활순털진드기가 3,535개체(69.8%)로 절대적인 우점종이었다. 계절별로 봄철에는 대잎털진드기, 가을철에는 활순털진드기가 높은 밀도로 채집되어 진드기종의 분포가 채집시기에 따라 차이가 있었다.

• 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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• 제61권3호
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• pp.272-281
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• 2023

Chigger mites are the vector of scrub typhus. This study estimates the infestation status and ecological characteristics of chiggers on the chestnut white-bellied rat Niviventer fulvescens in Southwest China between 2001 and 2019. Chiggers were identified under the microscope, and infestation indices were calculated. The Preston's log-normal model was used to fit the curve of species abundance distribution. A total of 6,557 chiggers were collected in 136 of 342 N. fulvescens rats, showing high overall infestation indices (prevalence=39.8%, mean abundance=19.2, mean intensity=48.2) and high species diversity (S=100, H'=3.0). Leptotrombidium cangjiangense, Neotrombicula japonica, and Ascoschoengastia sifanga were the three dominant chigger species (constituent ratio=42.9%; 2,736/6,384) and exhibited an aggregated distribution among different rat individuals. We identified 100 chigger species, with 3 of them (Leptotrombidium scutellare, Leptotrombidium wenense, and Leptotrombidium deliense) as the main vectors of scrub typhus in China and nine species as potential vectors of this disease. Disease vector occurrence on N. fulvescens may increase the risk of spreading scrub typhus from rats to humans. Chigger infestation on N. fulvescens varied significantly in different environments. The species abundance distribution showed a log-normal distribution pattern. The estimated number of chigger species on N. fulvescens was 126 species.