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Bong Gu Song 2 Articles
Annual Fluctuation in Chigger Mite Populations and Orientia Tsutsugamushi Infections in Scrub Typhus Endemic Regions of South Korea
Seong Yoon Kim, Byoungchul Gill, Bong Gu Song, Hyuk Chu, Won Il Park, Hee Il Lee, E-hyun Shin, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Jong Yul Roh
Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2019;10(6):351-358.   Published online December 31, 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24171/j.phrp.2019.10.6.05
  • 9,022 View
  • 232 Download
  • 9 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives

Chigger mites are vectors for scrub typhus. This study evaluated the annual fluctuations in chigger mite populations and Orientia tsutsugamushi infections in South Korea.

Methods

During 2006 and 2007, chigger mites were collected monthly from wild rodents in 4 scrub typhus endemic regions of South Korea. The chigger mites were classified based on morphological characteristics, and analyzed using nested PCR for the detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi.

Results

During the surveillance period, the overall trapping rate for wild rodents was 10.8%. In total, 17,457 chigger mites (representing 5 genera and 15 species) were collected, and the average chigger index (representing the number of chigger mites per rodent), was 31.7. The monthly chigger index was consistently high (> 30) in Spring (March to April) and Autumn (October to November). The mite species included Leptotrombidium pallidum (43.5%), L. orientale (18.9%), L. scutellare (18.1%), L. palpale (10.6%), and L. zetum (3.6%). L. scutellare and L. palpale populations, were relatively higher in Autumn. Monthly O. tsutsugamushi infection rates in wild rodents (average: 4.8%) and chigger mites (average: 0.7%) peaked in Spring and Autumn.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrated a bimodal pattern of the incidence of O. tsutsugamushi infections. Higher infection rates were observed in both wild rodents and chigger mites, in Spring and Autumn. However, this did not reflect the unimodal incidence of scrub typhus in Autumn. Further studies are needed to identify factors, such as human behavior and harvesting in Autumn that may explain this discordance.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Changes in seasonality and sex ratio of scrub typhus: a case study of South Korea from 2003 to 2019 based on wavelet transform analysis
    Jeehyun Kim, Penelope Vounatsou, Byung Chul Chun
    BMC Infectious Diseases.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Eco-epidemiology of rodent-associated trombiculid mites and infection with Orientia spp. in Southern Chile
    María Carolina Silva de la Fuente, Caricia Pérez, Constanza Martínez-Valdebenito, Ruth Pérez, Cecilia Vial, Alexandr Stekolnikov, Katia Abarca, Thomas Weitzel, Gerardo Acosta-Jamett, Jessica N. Ricaldi
    PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2023; 17(1): e0011051.     CrossRef
  • Comparison of Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae, Leeuwenhoekiidae) on Two Sibling Mouse Species, Apodemus draco and A. ilex (Rodentia: Muridae), in Southwest China
    Yu Guo, Xian-Guo Guo, Wen-Yu Song, Yan Lv, Peng-Wu Yin, Dao-Chao Jin
    Animals.2023; 13(9): 1480.     CrossRef
  • Epidemiological characteristics of cases with scrub typhus and their correlation with chigger mite occurrence (2019–2021): A focus on case occupation and activity locations
    Se‐Jin Jeong, Jin‐Hwan Jeon, Kyung won Hwang
    Entomological Research.2023; 53(7): 247.     CrossRef
  • Prevalence of chigger mites and Orientia tsutsugamushi strains in northern regions of Gangwon-do, Korea
    Soojin Kim, In Yong Lee, Sezim Monoldorova, Jiro Kim, Jang Hoon Seo, Tai-Soon Yong, Bo Young Jeon
    Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2023; 61(3): 263.     CrossRef
  • Infestation and distribution of chiggers on the Anderson's white‐bellied rats in southwest China
    Yu Guo, Xian‐Guo Guo, Pei‐Ying Peng, Yan Lv, Rong Xiang, Wen‐Yu Song, Xiao‐Bin Huang
    Veterinary Medicine and Science.2023; 9(6): 2920.     CrossRef
  • Seroprevalence and Genotypic Characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Febrile Pediatric Patients Admitted in Tertiary Care Hospital of Chennai, South India
    Rajagopal Murali, Sivasambo Kalpana, Panneerselvam Satheeshkumar, Prabu Dhandapani
    Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology.2023; 17(4): 2232.     CrossRef
  • Infestation and seasonal fluctuation of chigger mites on the Southeast Asian house rat (Rattus brunneusculus) in southern Yunnan Province, China
    Yan Lv, Xianguo Guo, Daochao Jin, Wenyu Song, Peiying Peng, Hao Lin, Rong Fan, Chengfu Zhao, Zhiwei Zhang, Keyu Mao, Tijun Qian, Wenge Dong, Zhihua Yang
    International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites .2021; 14: 141.     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
Prevalence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Ixodid Ticks Collected from the Republic of Korea During 2011–2012
Seok-Min Yun, Bong Gu Song, WooYoung Choi, Won Il Park, Sung Yun Kim, Jong Yul Roh, Jungsang Ryou, Young Ran Ju, Chan Park, E-Hyun Shin
Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2012;3(4):213-221.   Published online December 31, 2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrp.2012.10.004
  • 4,096 View
  • 30 Download
  • 30 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Objectives
In this study, we demonstrated that TBEV-infected ticks have been distributed in the ROK, combined with our previous results. These results suggest that TBEV may exist in the ROK, and H. longicornis, H. flava, and I. nipponensis may be potential vectors of TBEV. In addition, these results emphasize the need for further epidemiological research of TBEV.
Methods
We examined for the presence of RNA of TBEV by reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) using ixodid ticks captured in 25 localities of 10 provinces. Ticks were collected by the flagging and dragging method or using sentinel BG traps at forests, grass thickets, and grassland. A total of 13,053 ticks belonging to two genera and four species were collected and pooled (1292 pools), according to collection site, species of tick, and developmental stage.
Results
Among 1292 pools, the envelope (E) protein gene of TBEV was detected using RT-nested PCR in 10 pools (3 pools of the 1,331 adult ticks and 7 pools of the 11,169 nymph ticks) collected from Gangwon-do province, Jeonrabuk-do province, and Jeju Island. The minimum infection rates for TBEV of Haemaphysalis longicornis, Haemaphysalis flava, and Ixodes nipponensis were 0.06%, 0.17%, and 2.38%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial E protein gene was performed to identify relationships between the TBEV strains. This showed that 10 Korean strains clustered with the Western subtype.
Conclusion
In this study, we investigated the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in ixodid ticks from various regions of the Republic of Korea (ROK) during 2011–2012 to identify whether TBEV is circulating and to determine the endemic regions of TBEV.

Citations

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  • Xinyang flavivirus, from Haemaphysalis flava ticks in Henan Province, China, defines a basal, likely tick-only Orthoflavivirus clade
    Lan-Lan Wang, Qia Cheng, Natalee D. Newton, Michael T. Wolfinger, Mahali S. Morgan, Andrii Slonchak, Alexander A. Khromykh, Tian-Yin Cheng, Rhys H. Parry
    Journal of General Virology .2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • TBE in South Korea
    Joon Young Song
    Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
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    S. Azari-hamidian, R. E. Harbach
    Паразитология.2023; 57(5): 356.     CrossRef
  • Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of tick‐borne encephalitis virus in ticks in northeastern China
    Xiaohui Li, Hongwei Ji, Di Wang, Lihe Che, Li Zhang, Liang Li, Qing Yin, Quan Liu, Feng Wei, Zedong Wang
    Journal of Medical Virology.2022; 94(2): 507.     CrossRef
  • TBE in South Korea
    Song Joon Young
    Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Genomic Determinants Potentially Associated with Clinical Manifestations of Human-Pathogenic Tick-Borne Flaviviruses
    Artem N. Bondaryuk, Nina V. Kulakova, Ulyana V. Potapova, Olga I. Belykh, Anzhelika V. Yudinceva, Yurij S. Bukin
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2022; 23(21): 13404.     CrossRef
  • TBE in South Korea
    Song Joon Young
    Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • Hard Ticks as Vectors Tested Negative for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Ganghwa-do, Korea during 2019-2020
    Kyoung Jin, Yeon-Ja Koh, Seong Kyu Ahn, Joonghee Cho, Junghwan Lim, Jaeyong Song, Jinyoung Lee, Young Woo Gong, Mun Ju Kwon, Hyung Wook Kwon, Young Yil Bahk, Tong-Soo Kim
    The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2021; 59(3): 281.     CrossRef
  • Nationwide Temporal and Geographical Distribution of Tick Populations and Phylogenetic Analysis of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Ticks in Korea, 2020
    Min-Goo Seo, Byung-Eon Noh, Hak Seon Lee, Tae-Kyu Kim, Bong-Goo Song, Hee Il Lee
    Microorganisms.2021; 9(8): 1630.     CrossRef
  • Seroepidemiologic survey of emerging vector-borne infections in South Korean forest/field workers
    Ji Yun Noh, Joon Young Song, Joon Yong Bae, Man-Seong Park, Jin Gu Yoon, Hee Jin Cheong, Woo Joo Kim, Nam-Hyuk Cho
    PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2021; 15(8): e0009687.     CrossRef
  • European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Literature review
    Yu. S. Savinova
    Acta Biomedica Scientifica.2021; 6(4): 100.     CrossRef
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    Andrei A. Deviatkin, Ivan S. Kholodilov, Yulia A. Vakulenko, Galina G. Karganova, Alexander N. Lukashev
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    Yuji Takahashi, Shintaro Kobayashi, Mariko Ishizuka, Minato Hirano, Memi Muto, Shoko Nishiyama, Hiroaki Kariwa, Kentaro Yoshii
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