Occurrence of Orientia tsutsugamushi in small mammals from Thailand.
Extensive sampling of small mammals was conducted in eight provinces of Thailand between September 9, 1992 and April 29, 2001. A total of 3,498 specimens representing 22 species were collected. Eighty-eight percent (3,089 of 3,498) of the animals were collected from a region in Chiangrai Province, which is commonly recognized as endemic for human scrub typhus. Blood and tissue samples from each animal were tested for the presence of Orientia tsutsugamushi, the etiologic agent of scrub typhus. The predominant species collected were Rattus rattus (53%, n = 1,863), R. losea (18%, n = 638), Bandicota indica (16%, n = 564), and R. exulans (4%, n = 146). Orientia tsutsugamushi was detected in 10 of the 22 species of mammals that included R. bukit (25% infected, 1 of 4), R. rattus (23%, 419 of 1,855), R. argentiventer (22%, 5 of 23), R. berdmorei (22%, 2 of 9), R. losea (13%, 82 of 638), B. indica (9%, 52 of 564), R. koratensis (8%, 1 of 12), B. savilei (3%, 1 of 30), R. exulans (1%, 2 of 146), and Tupaia glis (2%, 1 of 49). Infected animals were found in Chiangrai (18% infected, 563 of 3,084), Bangkok (11%, 1 of 9), Sukothai (3%, 1 of 30), and Nonthaburi (1%, 1 of 69) Provinces. The implications towards scrub typhus maintenance and transmission are discussed.
Coleman
Russell E
RE
United States Army Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand.
Monkanna
Taweesak
T
Linthicum
Kenneth J
KJ
Strickman
Daniel A
DA
Frances
Stephen P
SP
Tanskul
Panita
P
Kollars
Thomas M
TM
Inlao
Inkam
I
Watcharapichat
Pochaman
P
Khlaimanee
Nittaya
N
Phulsuksombati
Duangporn
D
Sangjun
Noppadon
N
Lerdthusnee
Kriangkrai
K
D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000145:classification / Q000382:microbiology*; D012285:Orientia tsutsugamushi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051381:Rats; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014324:Trombiculidae / Q000382:microbiology