Molecular identification of Rickettsia spp. in chigger mites in Taiwan. 2022

Chi-Chien Kuo, and Pei-Lung Lee, and Hsi-Chieh Wang
Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.

The genus Rickettsia is the causative agent of several rickettsial diseases that are primarily transmitted by hard ticks. The occurrence of Rickettsia in chigger mites, which are vectors of scrub typhus in the western Pacific region, has been infrequently investigated. We identified Rickettsia spp. in chiggers collected from small mammals in six counties of Taiwan. Moreover, by capitalising on parallel Rickettsia detections on small mammals and their infested ticks and fleas, we were able to identify Rickettsia spp. that suggested more intimate associations with chigger mites. Rickettsia detection rates in 318 pools of chiggers were 21.7% and 22.3% when based on the ompB and gltA gene, respectively. Overall, we identified six (based on the ompB gene) and eight (gltA gene) Rickettsia species. Approximately half of the sequenced species were most similar to Rickettsia sp. clone MB74-1 (ompB gene) and Rickettsia sp. TwKM02 (gltA gene). Furthermore, both species were either infrequently or never identified in small mammals, ticks and fleas, which suggests that chigger mites might be the primary host of both rickettsiae. Whether both species are pathogenic to humans remains to be studied. They may also be microbial endosymbionts of chigger mites, with their potential effects on the pathogenicity of the aetiologic agent of scrub typhus deserving further investigations.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008924 Mite Infestations Infestations with arthropods of the subclass ACARI, superorder Acariformes. Acariasis,Mange,Infestation, Mite,Infestations, Mite,Mite Infestation
D005423 Siphonaptera An order of parasitic, blood-sucking, wingless INSECTS with the common name of fleas. Aphaniptera,Fleas,Flea
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012281 Rickettsia A genus of gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria often surrounded by a protein microcapsular layer and slime layer. The natural cycle of its organisms generally involves a vertebrate and an invertebrate host. Species of the genus are the etiological agents of human diseases, such as typhus.
D012376 Rodent Diseases Diseases of rodents of the order RODENTIA. This term includes diseases of Sciuridae (squirrels), Geomyidae (gophers), Heteromyidae (pouched mice), Castoridae (beavers), Cricetidae (rats and mice), Muridae (Old World rats and mice), Erethizontidae (porcupines), and Caviidae (guinea pigs). Disease, Rodent,Diseases, Rodent,Rodent Disease
D012377 Rodentia A mammalian order which consists of 29 families and many genera. Beavers,Capybaras,Castor Beaver,Dipodidae,Hydrochaeris,Jerboas,Rodents,Beaver,Capybara,Hydrochaeri,Jerboa,Rodent,Rodentias
D012612 Scrub Typhus An acute infectious disease caused by ORIENTIA TSUTSUGAMUSHI. It is limited to eastern and southeastern Asia, India, northern Australia, and the adjacent islands. Characteristics include the formation of a primary cutaneous lesion at the site of the bite of an infected mite, fever lasting about two weeks, and a maculopapular rash. Tsutsugamushi Disease,Typhus, Scrub,Orientia tsutsugamushi Infection,Tsutsugamushi Fever,Disease, Tsutsugamushi,Diseases, Tsutsugamushi,Fever, Tsutsugamushi,Fevers, Tsutsugamushi,Infection, Orientia tsutsugamushi,Infections, Orientia tsutsugamushi,Orientia tsutsugamushi Infections,Tsutsugamushi Diseases,Tsutsugamushi Fevers
D013624 Taiwan Country in eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China. The capital is Taipei. The alternate country name is Republic of China. Formosa,Republic of China
D013987 Ticks Blood-sucking acarid parasites of the order Ixodida comprising two families: the softbacked ticks (ARGASIDAE) and hardbacked ticks (IXODIDAE). Ticks are larger than their relatives, the MITES. They penetrate the skin of their host by means of highly specialized, hooked mouth parts and feed on its blood. Ticks attack all groups of terrestrial vertebrates. In humans they are responsible for many TICK-BORNE DISEASES, including the transmission of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER; TULAREMIA; BABESIOSIS; AFRICAN SWINE FEVER; and RELAPSING FEVER. (From Barnes, Invertebrate Zoology, 5th ed, pp543-44) Ixodida,Ixodidas,Tick
D014324 Trombiculidae Family of MITES in the superfamily Trombiculoidea, suborder Prostigmata, which attack humans and other vertebrates, causing DERMATITIS and severe allergic reactions. Chiggers, red bugs, and harvest mites commonly refer to the larval stage of Trombiculid mites, the only parasitic stage of the mite's life cycle. Chiggers,Harvest Mites,Leptotrombidium,Neotrombicula,Red Bugs,Trombicula,Trombiculid Mites,Eutrombicula,Bug, Red,Bugs, Red,Chigger,Eutrombiculas,Harvest Mite,Leptotrombidiums,Mite, Harvest,Mite, Trombiculid,Mites, Harvest,Mites, Trombiculid,Neotrombiculas,Red Bug,Trombiculas,Trombiculid Mite

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