title: Seasonal and environmental determinants of leptospirosis and scrub typhus in small mammals captured at a U.S. military training site (Dagmar North), Republic of Korea, 2001-2004.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to identify seasonal and environmental determinants of scrub typhus, murine typhus, and leptospirosis in small mammals trapped at Dagmar North training area, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Small mammals received titer assays to the aforementioned diseases. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether associations existed between risk of small-mammal infection and independent variables such as season of capture, habitat, small-mammal species, and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Murine typhus was not detected among the animals assayed. Risk of scrub typhus infection was associated with season, habitat, and small-mammal species. Risk of leptospirosis infection was associated with season and habitat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate determinants of infection exist for scrub typhus and leptospirosis at this training site. This information can be used for developing appropriate preventive medicine plans and coordinating troop activity during periods of reduced exposure decreasing the likelihood of disease transmission to humans.
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Division of Preventive Medicine, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Terry A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Jean L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Heung-Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Si Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Se Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Ji Hae
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Luck Ju
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Jin-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D017753:Ecosystem; D007723:Korea; D007922:Leptospirosis; D016015:Logistic Models; D008322:Mammals / Q000382:microbiology*; D008887:Military Medicine; D012612:Scrub Typhus; D012621:Seasons; D014437:Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne; D014481:United States