title: Geographical distribution of vectors and sero-strains of tsutsugamushi disease at mid-south inland of Korea.
abstract: Studies of geographical distributions and relative population densities of the vector mites of tsutsugamushi disease were carried out in October 1996 at 12 locations of the mid-south inland of the Korean peninsula, where chigger mites have been never studied. Of 177 field rodents and insectivores collected, 154 (87.0%) were Apodemus agrarius. Total 25,707 chigger mites were collected and 14 species were identified, of which Leptotrombidium pallidum was predominant (79.8%) and L. palpale the next (8.9%). L. pallidum, the vector species, was widely distributed in all study areas, showing the highest density at Cho-o 2-dong, Sangju-si (chigger index 201.8), and the lowest at Tanwol-dong. Chungju-si (chigger index 40.7). The other vector species, L. scutellare was found only at the southern part of the study area such as Yobae and Mipyong, Kumrunggun and Unsu, Kimchon-si. The northernmost areas of the L. scutellare distribution were coincided with the areas where anual mean air temperature is above 10.0 C. Among 157 A. agrarius sera tested, 48.3% was Karp, 1.7% Gilliam and 3.3% Kuroki. The rest of the sera were not able to determine the sero-type because of the cross antigen-antibody reactions among the tested sero-types.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Ree
authors.forename: I Y
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D007312:Eulipotyphla / Q000469:parasitology*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012285:Orientia tsutsugamushi / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D012703:Serotyping; D013696:Temperature; D014324:Trombiculidae / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial