Transovarial transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Leptotrombidium palpale (Acari: Trombiculidae)

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 10;9(4):e88453. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088453. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Transovarial transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi in colonies of Leptotrombidium palpale was studied in the parent and F1 and F2 generations. Both transovarial transmission and filial infection rates were 100% in the parent and F1 generations of Leptotrombidium palpale. The filial infection rate in the F1 generation was 100%, but it declined to 94.3% in the F2 progeny. The sex ratio of the F1 generation from infected L. palpale was 1∶0.8 (male:female) and the proportion of males was relatively high. This study is the first to report on the transovarial transmission of O. tsutsugamushi in L. palpale. High transovarial transmission rates in L. palpale suggest that this species might be one of the major vectors of tsutsugamushi disease in Korea.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Murinae
  • Orientia tsutsugamushi*
  • Ovary / microbiology*
  • Oviposition
  • Ovum / microbiology
  • Republic of Korea
  • Scrub Typhus / transmission*
  • Sex Factors
  • Trombiculidae / microbiology*

Grants and funding

This research was supported by a fund (211-N55002-22) by Research of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or prepartion of the manuscript.