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.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Mite Infestation on Rattus tanezum rats in southwest China concerning risk models Ru-Jin Liu, Xian-Guo Guo, Pei-Ying Peng, Yan Lv, Peng-Wu Yin, Wen-Yu Song, Rong Xiang, Yan-Ling Chen, Bei Li, Dao-Chao Jin Frontiers in Veterinary Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Geographic distribution of Orientia tsutsugamushi strains on chigger mites in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) Hyeon Seung Lee, Byung-Eon Noh, Hyunwoo Kim, Heeil Lee Parasites & Vectors.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
A cross sectional study on molecular prevalence of Orientia tsutsugamushi in household rat population of South India S. Purushothaman, P. Azhahianambi, M. Dharman, R. Gokula Kannan, K.G. Tirumurugaan, C. Soundararajan, R.P. Aravindh Babu, Panneer Devaraju, John A.J. Prakash Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.2024; 111: 102212. CrossRef
Orientia tsutsugamushi Infection in Wild Small Mammals in Western Yunnan Province, China Yun-Yan Luo, Si-Tong Liu, Qi-Nan He, Ru-Dan Hong, Jun-Jie Zhu, Zhi-Qiong Ai, Jia-Xiang Yin Pathogens.2023; 12(1): 128. CrossRef
Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Novel Trombiculid Mite Species in Northern Tamil Nadu, India: Use of Targeting the Multicopy traD Gene John Antony Jude Prakash, Kannan Kamarasu, P Philip Samuel, Renu Govindarajan, Punitha Govindasamy, Liji Anna Johnson, P Ramalingam, J Nirmalson, K C Seran, Kevin Macaluso Journal of Medical Entomology.2022; 59(2): 693. CrossRef
Buerger’s Disease May be a Chronic Rickettsial Infection with Superimposed Thrombosis: Literature Review and Efficacy of Doxycycline in Three Patients Moon-Hyun Chung, Jin-Soo Lee, Jae-Seung Kang Infection & Chemotherapy.2022; 54(1): 20. CrossRef
Nationwide Incidence of Chigger Mite Populations and Molecular Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in the Republic of Korea, 2020 Min-Goo Seo, Bong-Goo Song, Tae-Kyu Kim, Byung-Eon Noh, Hak Seon Lee, Wook-Gyo Lee, Hee Il Lee Microorganisms.2021; 9(8): 1563. CrossRef
Geographical Distribution and Epidemiologic Factors of Chigger Mites on Apodemus agrarius during Autumn in Korea In Yong Lee, Jae-Won Lim, Jang Hoon Seo, Heung Chul Kim, Ku Jae Lee, Tai-Soon Yong, Won-Ja Lee, Jae-Ran Yu, Seobo Sim The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2021; 59(5): 473. CrossRef
Jung Wook Park, Jae Keun Chung, Sun Hee Kim, Sun Ju Cho, Yi Deun Ha, So Hyang Jung, Hye Jung Park, Hyun Jae Song, Jung Yoon Lee, Dong Min Kim, Jah Pyus, Dong Ryong Ha, Eun Sun Kim, Jae Il Lee
Korean J Parasitol 2016;54(3):307-313. Published online June 30, 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.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
A Novel Strain of Orientia tsutsugamushi Detected from Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) on Wild Rodents Hak Seon Lee, Seong Yoon Kim, Hee Il Lee Pathogens.2025; 14(1): 29. CrossRef
Geographic distribution of Orientia tsutsugamushi strains on chigger mites in the Republic of Korea (2021–2023) Hyeon Seung Lee, Byung-Eon Noh, Hyunwoo Kim, Heeil Lee Parasites & Vectors.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
First Report on the Molecular Detection and Characterization of Rickettsia felis in Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) Mites in Malaysia Hiryahafira Mohamad Tahir, Faraliana Che Lah Ernieenor, Suhaili Zainal Abidin, Vishalani Vishnu Narainasamy, Mariana Ahamad Veterinary Sciences.2025; 12(5): 443. CrossRef
Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Novel Trombiculid Mite Species in Northern Tamil Nadu, India: Use of Targeting the Multicopy traD Gene John Antony Jude Prakash, Kannan Kamarasu, P Philip Samuel, Renu Govindarajan, Punitha Govindasamy, Liji Anna Johnson, P Ramalingam, J Nirmalson, K C Seran, Kevin Macaluso Journal of Medical Entomology.2022; 59(2): 693. CrossRef
Emerging hantavirus infection in wild rodents captured in suburbs of Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea Mi hee Seo, Choon-Mee Kim, Dong-Min Kim, Na Ra Yun, Jung Wook Park, Jae Keun Chung, Wen-Ping Guo PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2022; 16(6): e0010526. CrossRef
Orientia tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos Ivo Elliott, Rawadee Kumlert, Neeranuch Thangnimitchok, Stuart D. Blacksell, Ampai Tanganuchitcharnchai, Daniel H. Paris, Paul N. Newton, Serge Morand Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases.2022; 22(10): 505. CrossRef
Nationwide Incidence of Chigger Mite Populations and Molecular Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in the Republic of Korea, 2020 Min-Goo Seo, Bong-Goo Song, Tae-Kyu Kim, Byung-Eon Noh, Hak Seon Lee, Wook-Gyo Lee, Hee Il Lee Microorganisms.2021; 9(8): 1563. CrossRef
First report of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto detection in a commune genospecies in Apodemus agrarius in Gwangju, South Korea Choon Mee Kim, So Young Park, Dong-Min Kim, Jung Wook Park, Jae Keun Chung Scientific Reports.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Epidemiological Characteristics of Rodents and Chiggers with Orientia Tsutsugamushi in the Republic of Korea Jung Wook Park, Dae Sung Yu, Gi Seong Lee, Jin Jong Seo, Jae Keun Chung, Jae Il Lee The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2020; 58(5): 559. CrossRef
Molecular Epidemiology of an Orientia tsutsugamushi Gene Encoding a 56-kDa Type-Specific Antigen in Chiggers, Small Mammals, and Patients from the Southwest Region of Korea Jung Wook Park, Sun Hee Kim, Duck Woong Park, So Hyang Jung, Hye Jung Park, Mi Hee Seo, Hyeon Je Song, Jung Yoon Lee, Dong Min Kim, Choon-Mee Kim, Byong Chul Gill, Hang Jin Jeong, Jeong Min Lee, Dong Ryong Ha, Eun Sun Kim, Jae Keun Chung The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.2018; 98(2): 616. CrossRef
First
Prev
