Orientia tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos.
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2022 10; 22(10):505-511.VB

Abstract

Background: Scrub typhus is a leading cause of febrile illness in Laos and accounts for a high burden of disease. There have been no previous studies on the causative agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi, in vector mites ("chiggers") or their small mammal hosts in Laos. Materials and Methods: Small mammals and free-living chiggers were trapped in districts of Vientiane Province and Capital. Tissues were tested for O. tsutsugamushi by PCR and serum for IgG to O. tsutsugamushi by immunofluorescence assays (IFAs). Chiggers removed from small mammals and collected in their free-living stage using black plates were identified and tested for O. tsutsugamushi by PCR. Results: Over an 18-month period, 131 small mammals of 14 species were collected in 5 districts. Seventy-eight of 131 small mammals were infested with chiggers, but all tissues were O. tsutsugamushi PCR negative. Eighteen species of chigger were identified and 1,609 were tested by PCR. A single pool of chiggers tested O. tsutsugamushi positive. Sera from 52 small mammals were tested by IFA, with 16 testing positive. Conclusions: These are the first molecular and serological data on O. tsutsugamushi in chiggers and small mammals in Laos. Further studies are needed to better understand the key vector species and ecology of scrub typhus in areas with high disease incidence in Laos.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Elliott I

Kumlert R

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand.

Thangnimitchok N

Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Blacksell SD

Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR. Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Tanganuchitcharnchai A

Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Paris DH

Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland. Department of Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Newton PN

Morand S

MIVEGEC, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France. Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

MeSH

AnimalsOrientia tsutsugamushiTrombiculidaeScrub TyphusLaosRodentiaMammalsImmunoglobulin GRodent Diseases

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

36255415

Citation

Elliott, Ivo, et al. "Orientia Tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos." Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.), vol. 22, no. 10, 2022, pp. 505-511.

Elliott I, Kumlert R, Thangnimitchok N, et al. Orientia tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2022;22(10):505-511.

Elliott, I., Kumlert, R., Thangnimitchok, N., Blacksell, S. D., Tanganuchitcharnchai, A., Paris, D. H., Newton, P. N., & Morand, S. (2022). Orientia tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.), 22(10), 505-511. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2022.0029

Elliott I, et al. Orientia Tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2022;22(10):505-511. PubMed PMID: 36255415.

* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case

TY - JOUR T1 - Orientia tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos. AU - Elliott,Ivo, AU - Kumlert,Rawadee, AU - Thangnimitchok,Neeranuch, AU - Blacksell,Stuart D, AU - Tanganuchitcharnchai,Ampai, AU - Paris,Daniel H, AU - Newton,Paul N, AU - Morand,Serge, Y1 - 2022/10/06/ PY - 2022/10/18/entrez PY - 2022/10/19/pubmed PY - 2022/10/21/medline KW - Laos KW - Orientia tsutsugamushi KW - chiggers KW - scrub typhus SP - 505 EP - 511 JF - Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) JO - Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis VL - 22 IS - 10 N2 - Background: Scrub typhus is a leading cause of febrile illness in Laos and accounts for a high burden of disease. There have been no previous studies on the causative agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi, in vector mites ("chiggers") or their small mammal hosts in Laos. Materials and Methods: Small mammals and free-living chiggers were trapped in districts of Vientiane Province and Capital. Tissues were tested for O. tsutsugamushi by PCR and serum for IgG to O. tsutsugamushi by immunofluorescence assays (IFAs). Chiggers removed from small mammals and collected in their free-living stage using black plates were identified and tested for O. tsutsugamushi by PCR. Results: Over an 18-month period, 131 small mammals of 14 species were collected in 5 districts. Seventy-eight of 131 small mammals were infested with chiggers, but all tissues were O. tsutsugamushi PCR negative. Eighteen species of chigger were identified and 1,609 were tested by PCR. A single pool of chiggers tested O. tsutsugamushi positive. Sera from 52 small mammals were tested by IFA, with 16 testing positive. Conclusions: These are the first molecular and serological data on O. tsutsugamushi in chiggers and small mammals in Laos. Further studies are needed to better understand the key vector species and ecology of scrub typhus in areas with high disease incidence in Laos. SN - 1557-7759 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/36255415/Orientia_tsutsugamushi_in_Chiggers_and_Small_Mammals_in_Laos_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -

Tags

Orientia tsutsugamushi in Chiggers and Small Mammals in Laos.Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2022 10; 22(10):505-511.VB