title: Prevalence of antibodies against Ehrlichia spp. and Orientia tsutsugamushi in small mammals around harbors in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tick-borne ehrlichiosis and mite-borne scrub typhus represent important emerging zoonotic rickettsial diseases. Although scrub typhus has been recognized by the Taiwanese public health system, information on ehrlichial infections is scarce in Taiwan. In this study, the risk of spread of ectoparasites on rodents through aerial and marine transportation was assessed in international and domestic harbors. Here, we report the first systematic surveillance of seroprevalence against Ehrlichia spp. in small mammals on the main island of Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 1648 small mammals were trapped from 8 international ports, 18 domestic fishing harbors, and 7 local public health centers around Taiwan from November 2004 to December 2008. Sera were analyzed using indirect immunofluorescence assays to detect IgG antibodies against Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Orientia tsutsugamushi. A serum titer of ≧1:80 was considered positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies against Ehrlichia spp. and O. tsutsugamushi were detected in 3.28% and 4.92% of small mammals active around harbors, respectively. The seropositive rate against Ehrlichia was higher in northern Taiwan from 2005 to 2008. However, O. tsutsugamushi infections increased in southern Taiwan during this period. The serological evidence of ehrlichial and O. tsutsugamushi infections in all international ports were included in the study. No significant differences were found among the seropositive rates of Ehrlichia spp. and O. tsutsugamushi in small mammals trapped between international and local harbors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall prevalence of Ehrlichia spp. and O. tsutsugamushi infections in small mammals active around harbors was 3.28% and 4.92%, respectively. The results provided serological evidence supporting the potential risks of transporting pathogens through air and maritime traffic. This study highlights serious issues of the emergence and spread of rickettsial diseases in Taiwan. The incidence of human ehrlichiosis requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan. kunhtsai@ntu.edu.tw.|Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan. kunhtsai@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Kun-Hsien
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, No.161, Kun-Yang Street, Taipei, 11561, Taiwan. vivi@cdc.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Shu-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan. d00849002@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Tsai-Ying
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan. d92842003@ntu.edu.tw.|Infectious Diseases Research and Education Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan. d92842003@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wei-Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Research and Education Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan. frog4125@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Wan-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, No.161, Kun-Yang Street, Taipei, 11561, Taiwan. sjwang@cdc.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Hsi-Chieh
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Departmentof Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. xuyu@utmb.edu.
authors.forename: Xue-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan. wenthung@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Tzai-Hung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan. wuwj@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wen-Jer
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, No.161, Kun-Yang Street, Taipei, 11561, Taiwan. pyshu@cdc.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Pei-Yun
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Shu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D012285:Orientia tsutsugamushi / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D012377:Rodentia; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
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