Epidemiological Study of Tsutsugamushi Disease in Gunma Prefecture A Special Field Study and Serotype

Abstract

An epidemiologically investigated of invasion of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, inhabitant of mites and serum sample from patients with Tsutsugamushi disease in Gunma prefecture from 1984 to 1994 was made. Our data clearly indicated that Rickettsia tsutsugamushi was not located but widely spreaded throughout the Prefecture. Mites on rodents, were classified into 4 genus and 12 species and about 15% of them were Leptotrombidium pallidum and Leptotrombidium scuttellare, well known virulent vectors. The highest incidence rate of this disease was observed in the northwest area of the Prefecture from October to December, while a smaller number of patients occurred in other areas and in other months. About fifty percent of the serum samples from the patients wer positive to the Karp strain. These results suggest that the major cause of this disease is the Karp strain and the disease could occur potentially in various areas of the Prefecture.

Comparative Research on Epidemiological Aspects of Tsutsugamushi Disease (Scrub Typhus) between Korea and Japan

“…Tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus), a vector-borne zoonosis caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is commonly found in central, southern and eastern Asia, including Korea and Japan (1)(2)(3)(4). This organism is transmitted by infected trombiculid mites, especially Leptotrombidium pallidium and Leptotrombidium scutellare, which are well known virulent vectors in Korea and Japan (5)(6)(7)(8). O. tsutsugamushi is naturally maintained in cycles of trombiculid mites and Rodentia hosts.…”