Publication: High prevalence and low diversity of chigger infestation in small mammals found in Bangkok Metropolitan parks
Issued Date
2021-12-01
Resource Type
ISSN
13652915
0269283X
0269283X
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-85106208968
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Vol.35, No.4 (2021), 534-546
Suggested Citation
S. A. Wulandhari, Y. Paladsing, W. Saesim, V. Charoennitiwat, P. Sonthayanon, R. Kumlert, S. Morand, S. Sumruayphol, K. Chaisiri High prevalence and low diversity of chigger infestation in small mammals found in Bangkok Metropolitan parks. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Vol.35, No.4 (2021), 534-546. doi:10.1111/mve.12531 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/75533
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Title
High prevalence and low diversity of chigger infestation in small mammals found in Bangkok Metropolitan parks
Abstract
Chiggers are recognized as vectors of scrub typhus disease caused by the bacteria, Orientia tsutsugamushi. The risk of disease exposure is mainly related to chigger bites when humans or animals roam into vector-infested habitats. In big cities, urban public parks could provide areas for the animal–human interface and zoonotic pathogen transmission. The ecology and epidemiology of urban scrub typhus are still poorly understood in Thailand. Small mammals were trapped and examined for chigger infestation in urban public parks across metropolitan Bangkok, Thailand. We found a high prevalence of infestation (76.8%) with surprisingly low diversity. Two chigger species, Leptotrombidium deliense and Ascoschoengastia indica, were identified using morphological characteristics and molecular confirmation. The generalized linear model identified host intrinsic variables (i.e. body mass index) with host density, habitat composition and open field as the extrinsic factors explaining the abundance of chigger infestation. The bacteria O. tsutsugamushi was not detected in chiggers (90 chigger-pooled samples) and animal host tissues (164 spleen samples). However, the existence of chigger vectors calls for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and public health authorities to develop a comprehensive scrub typhus monitoring and prevention strategy in the parks and nearby communities.