A review of symbiotic and potentially pathogenic bacteria of mites (subclass: acari): implications for pathogen transmission
Issued Date
2013
Resource Type
Language
eng
Rights
Mahidol University
Suggested Citation
Kittipong Chaisiri, กิตติพงษ์ ฉายศิริ, John McGarry, Ben Makepeace (2013). A review of symbiotic and potentially pathogenic bacteria of mites (subclass: acari): implications for pathogen transmission. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/63172
Title
A review of symbiotic and potentially pathogenic bacteria of mites (subclass: acari): implications for pathogen transmission
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
A dataset of bacterial diversity found in mites was extracted from 131 publications (1946-2013). A
hundred and fourteen mite species belonging to three taxa (Parasitiformes, Sarcoptiformes and
Trombidiformes) were recorded, which were associated with 64 bacteria species (in 44 genera,
28 families and 19 orders). The intracellular symbiont Cardinium was the most prevalent mite-associated
bacterium (30 species infected), followed by Orientia (the causative agent of scrub typhus) and Wolbachia (the
most prevalent symbiont within the Arthropoda), with 27 and 23 species infected, respectively. Moreover, a
number of bacteria of medical importance were also present in mites, such as Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia,
Bartonella, Francisella, Coxiella, Borrelia and Staphylococcus. The differences in bacterial infection pattern among
mite taxa will be analysed and discussed. T hese data are not only useful to increase awareness of the potential for mites to transmit disease, but deeper understanding of the impact of symbionts on their arthropod hosts may also facilitate the development of intervention tools for vector control. Due to their small size and the limited taxonomic descriptions
available, the study of mite-associated bacteria is extremely challenging and few molecular protocols have
been published. Therefore, we are beginning to conduct metagenomic studies focusing on the mite-associated
bacteriome of “chiggers” (the parasitic larval stage of trombiculid mites), which are important vectors of scrub
typhus in South-East Asia. This disease affects 1 million people per year, causing severe fever and potentially fatal complications. Manipulation of the bacteriome may lead to future opportunities to decrease vector
competence in chiggers.
Description
Joint International Tropical Medicine Meeting 2013: Towards global health: an Asian paradigm of Tropical Medicine 11-13 December 2013 Centara Grand Bangkok Convention Center at Central World, Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok: Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University; 2013. p.156.