Microbial pathogens in ticks, rodents and a shrew in northern Gyeonggi-do near the DMZ, Korea.
A total of 1,618 ticks [420 individual (adults) and pooled (larvae and nymphs) samples], 369 rodents (Apodemus agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Tscherskia triton, Mus musculus, and Myodes regulus), and 34 shrews (Crocidura lasiura) that were collected in northern Gyeonggi-do near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of Korea during 2004-2005, were assayed by PCR for selected zoonotic pathogens. From a total of 420 individual and pooled tick DNA samples, Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum (16), A. platys (16), Ehrlichia (E.) chaffeensis (63), Borrelia burgdorferi (16), and Rickettsia spp. (198) were detected using species-specific PCR assays. Out of 403 spleens from rodents and shrews, A. phagocytophilum (20), A. platys (34), E. chaffeensis (127), and Bartonella spp. (24) were detected with species-specific PCR assays. These results suggest that fevers of unknown causes in humans and animals in Korea should be evaluated for infections by these vector-borne microbial pathogens.
Chae
Joon Seok
JS
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea. jschae@snu.ac.kr
Yu
Do Hyeon
DH
Shringi
Smriti
S
Klein
Terry A
TA
Kim
Heung Chul
HC
Chong
Sung Tae
ST
Lee
In Yong
IY
Foley
Janet
J
D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001694:Biological Warfare; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D051379:Mice / Q000382:microbiology*; D051381:Rats / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012788:Shrews / Q000382:microbiology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*; D015047:Zoonoses
D004269:DNA, Bacterial