<sec>
<title>Objectives</title>
<p>Chigger mites are vectors for scrub typhus. This study evaluated the annual fluctuations in chigger mite populations and <italic>Orientia tsutsugamushi</italic> infections in South Korea.</p></sec>
<sec>
<title>Methods</title>
<p>During 2006 and 2007, chigger mites were collected monthly from wild rodents in 4 scrub typhus endemic regions of South Korea. The chigger mites were classified based on morphological characteristics, and analyzed using nested PCR for the detection of <italic>Orientia tsutsugamushi</italic>.</p></sec>
<sec>
<title>Results</title>
<p>During the surveillance period, the overall trapping rate for wild rodents was 10.8%. In total, 17,457 chigger mites (representing 5 genera and 15 species) were collected, and the average chigger index (representing the number of chigger mites per rodent), was 31.7. The monthly chigger index was consistently high (> 30) in Spring (March to April) and Autumn (October to November). The mite species included <italic>Leptotrombidium pallidum</italic> (43.5%), <italic>L. orientale</italic> (18.9%), <italic>L. scutellare</italic> (18.1%), <italic>L. palpale</italic> (10.6%), and <italic>L. zetum</italic> (3.6%). <italic>L. scutellare</italic> and <italic>L. palpale</italic> populations, were relatively higher in Autumn. Monthly <italic>O. tsutsugamushi</italic> infection rates in wild rodents (average: 4.8%) and chigger mites (average: 0.7%) peaked in Spring and Autumn.</p></sec>
<sec>
<title>Conclusion</title>
<p>The findings demonstrated a bimodal pattern of the incidence of <italic>O. tsutsugamushi</italic> infections. Higher infection rates were observed in both wild rodents and chigger mites, in Spring and Autumn. However, this did not reflect the unimodal incidence of scrub typhus in Autumn. Further studies are needed to identify factors, such as human behavior and harvesting in Autumn that may explain this discordance.</p></sec>
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Epidemiological Trends and Environmental Influences on Scrub Typhus in South Korea from 2001 to 2023 Chaewon Kim, Nam-Hyuk Cho Journal of Bacteriology and Virology.2025; 55(1): 42. CrossRef
Severe Scrub Typhus with Acute Kidney Injury: Urine PCR Evidence from an East Coast Malaysian Cluster Siti Ramli, Nuridayu Arifin, Mohd Ismail, Shirley Hii, Nur Sulaiman, Ernieenor Lah, Nik Nik Abdul Aziz Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease.2025; 10(8): 208. CrossRef
Seasonal dynamics and niches of three vector chigger species at a focus of scrub typhus in southwest China Yan Lv, Peng-Wu Yin, Xian-Guo Guo, Rong Fan, Cheng-Fu Zhao, Zhi-Wei Zhang, Ya-Fei Zhao, Lei Zhang Frontiers in Veterinary Science.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
2024년 털진드기 밀도 감시 결과 현승 이, 정원 주, 희일 이 Public Health Weekly Report.2025; 18(49): 1969. CrossRef
Infestation, Community Structure, and Seasonal Dynamics of Chiggers on Small Mammals at a Focus of Scrub Typhus in Northern Yunnan, Southwest China Yan Lv, Peng-Wu Yin, Xian-Guo Guo, Rong Fan, Cheng-Fu Zhao, Zhi-Wei Zhang, Ya-Fei Zhao, Lei Zhang Insects.2025; 17(1): 31. CrossRef
Changes in seasonality and sex ratio of scrub typhus: a case study of South Korea from 2003 to 2019 based on wavelet transform analysis Jeehyun Kim, Penelope Vounatsou, Byung Chul Chun BMC Infectious Diseases.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Habitat Type-Based Assemblage and Distribution Prediction of Small Mammals and Chigger Mites (Acari: Trombiculidae) in Chuncheon City, Republic of Korea Kiyoon Kim, Jusun Hwang, Kyungmin Kim, Kwangbae Yoon, Daehyun Oh, Yungchul Park Animals.2024; 14(23): 3433. CrossRef
Orientia, Rickettsia, and the microbiome in rodent attached chiggers in North Carolina, USA Elise A. Richardson, Reuben Garshong, Kaiying Chen, Dac Crossley, Bryan S. Mclean, Gideon Wasserberg, Charles S. Apperson, R. Michael Roe, Loganathan Ponnusamy, Roman R. Ganta PLOS ONE.2024; 19(12): e0311698. CrossRef
Eco-epidemiology of rodent-associated trombiculid mites and infection with Orientia spp. in Southern Chile María Carolina Silva de la Fuente, Caricia Pérez, Constanza Martínez-Valdebenito, Ruth Pérez, Cecilia Vial, Alexandr Stekolnikov, Katia Abarca, Thomas Weitzel, Gerardo Acosta-Jamett, Jessica N. Ricaldi PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2023; 17(1): e0011051. CrossRef
Comparison of Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae, Leeuwenhoekiidae) on Two Sibling Mouse Species, Apodemus draco and A. ilex (Rodentia: Muridae), in Southwest China Yu Guo, Xian-Guo Guo, Wen-Yu Song, Yan Lv, Peng-Wu Yin, Dao-Chao Jin Animals.2023; 13(9): 1480. CrossRef
Epidemiological characteristics of cases with scrub typhus and their correlation with chigger mite occurrence (2019–2021): A focus on case occupation and activity locations Se‐Jin Jeong, Jin‐Hwan Jeon, Kyung won Hwang Entomological Research.2023; 53(7): 247. CrossRef
Prevalence of chigger mites and Orientia tsutsugamushi strains in northern regions of Gangwon-do, Korea Soojin Kim, In Yong Lee, Sezim Monoldorova, Jiro Kim, Jang Hoon Seo, Tai-Soon Yong, Bo Young Jeon Parasites, Hosts and Diseases.2023; 61(3): 263. CrossRef
Infestation and distribution of chiggers on the Anderson's white‐bellied rats in southwest China Yu Guo, Xian‐Guo Guo, Pei‐Ying Peng, Yan Lv, Rong Xiang, Wen‐Yu Song, Xiao‐Bin Huang Veterinary Medicine and Science.2023; 9(6): 2920. CrossRef
Seroprevalence and Genotypic Characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Febrile Pediatric Patients Admitted in Tertiary Care Hospital of Chennai, South India Rajagopal Murali, Sivasambo Kalpana, Panneerselvam Satheeshkumar, Prabu Dhandapani Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology.2023; 17(4): 2232. CrossRef
Infestation and seasonal fluctuation of chigger mites on the Southeast Asian house rat (Rattus brunneusculus) in southern Yunnan Province, China Yan Lv, Xianguo Guo, Daochao Jin, Wenyu Song, Peiying Peng, Hao Lin, Rong Fan, Chengfu Zhao, Zhiwei Zhang, Keyu Mao, Tijun Qian, Wenge Dong, Zhihua Yang International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites .2021; 14: 141. CrossRef
Nationwide Incidence of Chigger Mite Populations and Molecular Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in the Republic of Korea, 2020 Min-Goo Seo, Bong-Goo Song, Tae-Kyu Kim, Byung-Eon Noh, Hak Seon Lee, Wook-Gyo Lee, Hee Il Lee Microorganisms.2021; 9(8): 1563. CrossRef
Objectives
In this study, we demonstrated that TBEV-infected ticks have been distributed in the ROK, combined with our previous results. These results suggest that TBEV may exist in the ROK, and <i>H. longicornis, H. flava</i>, and <i>I. nipponensis</i> may be potential vectors of TBEV. In addition, these results emphasize the need for further epidemiological research of TBEV. Methods
We examined for the presence of RNA of TBEV by reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) using ixodid ticks captured in 25 localities of 10 provinces. Ticks were collected by the flagging and dragging method or using sentinel BG traps at forests, grass thickets, and grassland. A total of 13,053 ticks belonging to two genera and four species were collected and pooled (1292 pools), according to collection site, species of tick, and developmental stage. Results
Among 1292 pools, the envelope (E) protein gene of TBEV was detected using RT-nested PCR in 10 pools (3 pools of the 1,331 adult ticks and 7 pools of the 11,169 nymph ticks) collected from Gangwon-do province, Jeonrabuk-do province, and Jeju Island. The minimum infection rates for TBEV of <i>Haemaphysalis longicornis, Haemaphysalis flava</i>, and <i>Ixodes nipponensis</i> were 0.06%, 0.17%, and 2.38%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial E protein gene was performed to identify relationships between the TBEV strains. This showed that 10 Korean strains clustered with the Western subtype. Conclusion
In this study, we investigated the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in ixodid ticks from various regions of the Republic of Korea (ROK) during 2011–2012 to identify whether TBEV is circulating and to determine the endemic regions of TBEV.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Tick-borne encephalitis virus subtypes: mono- and mixed infection in specific and non-specific ticks Alexandra E. Polienko, Oxana A. Belova, Alexander G. Litov, Anastasia A. Rogova, Galina G. Karganova Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Viruses and Ticks: An Integrative Review of Virological Findings in Ticks Lucas Henrique da Silva e Silva, Fábio Silva da Silva, Daniel Damous Dias, Sâmia Luzia Sena da Silva, Lucia Aline Moura Reis, Hanna Carolina Farias Reis, Bruna Laís Sena do Nascimento, Joaquim Pinto Nunes Neto Arthropoda.2025; 3(4): 16. CrossRef
Xinyang flavivirus, from Haemaphysalis flava ticks in Henan Province, China, defines a basal, likely tick-only Orthoflavivirus clade Lan-Lan Wang, Qia Cheng, Natalee D. Newton, Michael T. Wolfinger, Mahali S. Morgan, Andrii Slonchak, Alexander A. Khromykh, Tian-Yin Cheng, Rhys H. Parry
Journal of General Virology
.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
TBE in South Korea Joon Young Song Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Arthropod-borne and arthropod-related viruses in Iran and neighboring countries S. Azari-hamidian, R. E. Harbach Паразитология.2023; 57(5): 356. CrossRef
Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of tick‐borne encephalitis virus in ticks in northeastern China Xiaohui Li, Hongwei Ji, Di Wang, Lihe Che, Li Zhang, Liang Li, Qing Yin, Quan Liu, Feng Wei, Zedong Wang Journal of Medical Virology.2022; 94(2): 507. CrossRef
TBE in South Korea Song Joon Young Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Genomic Determinants Potentially Associated with Clinical Manifestations of Human-Pathogenic Tick-Borne Flaviviruses Artem N. Bondaryuk, Nina V. Kulakova, Ulyana V. Potapova, Olga I. Belykh, Anzhelika V. Yudinceva, Yurij S. Bukin International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2022; 23(21): 13404. CrossRef
TBE in South Korea Song Joon Young Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Hard Ticks as Vectors Tested Negative for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Ganghwa-do, Korea during 2019-2020 Kyoung Jin, Yeon-Ja Koh, Seong Kyu Ahn, Joonghee Cho, Junghwan Lim, Jaeyong Song, Jinyoung Lee, Young Woo Gong, Mun Ju Kwon, Hyung Wook Kwon, Young Yil Bahk, Tong-Soo Kim The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2021; 59(3): 281. CrossRef
Nationwide Temporal and Geographical Distribution of Tick Populations and Phylogenetic Analysis of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Ticks in Korea, 2020 Min-Goo Seo, Byung-Eon Noh, Hak Seon Lee, Tae-Kyu Kim, Bong-Goo Song, Hee Il Lee Microorganisms.2021; 9(8): 1630. CrossRef
Seroepidemiologic survey of emerging vector-borne infections in South Korean forest/field workers Ji Yun Noh, Joon Young Song, Joon Yong Bae, Man-Seong Park, Jin Gu Yoon, Hee Jin Cheong, Woo Joo Kim, Nam-Hyuk Cho PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.2021; 15(8): e0009687. CrossRef
European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Literature review Yu. S. Savinova Acta Biomedica Scientifica.2021; 6(4): 100. CrossRef
Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus: An Emerging Ancient Zoonosis? Andrei A. Deviatkin, Ivan S. Kholodilov, Yulia A. Vakulenko, Galina G. Karganova, Alexander N. Lukashev Viruses.2020; 12(2): 247. CrossRef
Characterization of tick-borne encephalitis virus isolated from a tick in central Hokkaido in 2017 Yuji Takahashi, Shintaro Kobayashi, Mariko Ishizuka, Minato Hirano, Memi Muto, Shoko Nishiyama, Hiroaki Kariwa, Kentaro Yoshii Journal of General Virology.2020; 101(5): 497. CrossRef
A history of the introduction, establishment, dispersal and management of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, 1901 (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in New Zealand Allen C. G. Heath New Zealand Journal of Zoology.2020; 47(4): 241. CrossRef
Four Year Surveillance of the Vector Hard Ticks for SFTS, Ganghwa-do, Republic of Korea Myung-Deok Kim-Jeon, Seung Jegal, Hojong Jun, Haneul Jung, Seo Hye Park, Seong Kyu Ahn, Jinyoung Lee, Young Woo Gong, Kwangsig Joo, Mun Ju Kwon, Jong Yul Roh, Wook-Gyo Lee, Young Yil Bahk, Tong-Soo Kim The Korean Journal of Parasitology.2019; 57(6): 691. CrossRef
TBE in South Korea Joon Young Song Tick-borne encephalitis - The Book.2019;[Epub] CrossRef
Ixodid ticks and tick-borne encephalitis virus prevalence in the South Asian part of Russia (Republic of Tuva) Ivan Kholodilov, Oxana Belova, Ludmila Burenkova, Yuri Korotkov, Lidiya Romanova, Lola Morozova, Vitalii Kudriavtsev, Larissa Gmyl, Ilmira Belyaletdinova, Alexander Chumakov, Natalia Chumakova, Oyumaa Dargyn, Nina Galatsevich, Anatoly Gmyl, Mikhail Mikhai Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.2019; 10(5): 959. CrossRef
Current Status of Tick-Borne Diseases in South Korea Jae Hyoung Im, JiHyeon Baek, Areum Durey, Hea Yoon Kwon, Moon-Hyun Chung, Jin-Soo Lee Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases.2019; 19(4): 225. CrossRef
Molecular characterization of Haemaphysalis longicornis-borne rickettsiae, Republic of Korea and China Ju Jiang, Huijuan An, John S. Lee, Monica L. O’Guinn, Heung-Chul Kim, Sung-Tae Chong, Yanmin Zhang, Dan Song, Roxanne G. Burrus, Yuzhou Bao, Terry A. Klein, Allen L. Richards Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.2018; 9(6): 1606. CrossRef
Molecular detection of Rickettsia species in ticks collected from the southwestern provinces of the Republic of Korea Yoontae Noh, Yeong Seon Lee, Heung-Chul Kim, Sung-Tae Chong, Terry A. Klein, Ju Jiang, Allen L. Richards, Hae Kyeong Lee, Su Yeon Kim Parasites & Vectors.2017;[Epub] CrossRef
Necessity of a Surveillance System for Tick-borne Encephalitis Seok-Ju Yoo, Ji-Hyuk Park Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives.2017; 8(2): 155. CrossRef
Tick-borne encephalitis in Japan, Republic of Korea and China Kentaro Yoshii, Joon Young Song, Seong-Beom Park, Junfeng Yang, Heinz-Josef Schmitt Emerging Microbes & Infections.2017; 6(1): 1. CrossRef
Molecular detection of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome and tick-borne encephalitis viruses in ixodid ticks collected from vegetation, Republic of Korea, 2014 Seok-Min Yun, Ye-Ji Lee, WooYoung Choi, Heung-Chul Kim, Sung-Tae Chong, Kyu-Sik Chang, Jordan M. Coburn, Terry A. Klein, Won-Ja Lee Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.2016; 7(5): 970. CrossRef
The characterization of TBEV of European subtype circulating in Siberia, Russia I. V. Kozlova, T. V. Demina, S. E. Tkachev, Yu. S. Savinova, E. K. Doroshchenko, O. V. Lisak, Yu. P. Dzhioev, O. V. Suntsova, M. M. Verkhozina, A. I. Paramonov, N. V. Tikunova, V. I. Zlobin, D. . Ruzek Epidemiology and Vaccine Prevention.2016; 15(6): 30. CrossRef
Detection of SFTS Virus inIxodes nipponensisandAmblyomma testudinarium(Ixodida: Ixodidae) Collected From Reptiles in the Republic of Korea Jae-Hwa Suh, Heung-Chul Kim, Seok-Min Yun, Jae-Won Lim, Jin-Han Kim, Sung-Tae Chong, Dae-Ho Kim, Hyun-Tae Kim, Hyun Kim, Terry A. Klein, Jaree L. Johnson, Won-Ja Lee Journal of Medical Entomology.2016; 53(3): 584. CrossRef
Epidemiological Features and Clinical Manifestations of Lyme Borreliosis in Korea during the Period 2005^|^ndash;2012 Shinje Moon, Yeongseon Hong, Kyu-Jam Hwang, Suyeon Kim, Jihye Eom, Donghyok Kwon, Ji-Hyuk Park, Seung-Ki Youn, Aeree Sohn Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases.2015; 68(1): 1. CrossRef
Characteristics and Factors Associated with Death among Patients Hospitalized for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, South Korea, 2013 Jaeseung Shin, Donghyok Kwon, Seung-Ki Youn, Ji-Hyuk Park Emerging Infectious Diseases.2015; 21(10): 1704. CrossRef
Review: Sentinels of tick-borne encephalitis risk Maren Imhoff, Peter Hagedorn, Yesica Schulze, Wiebke Hellenbrand, Martin Pfeffer, Matthias Niedrig Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.2015; 6(5): 592. CrossRef
Louping ill virus (LIV) in the Far East Galina N. Leonova, Ilya G. Kondratov, Olga S. Maystrovskaya, Ikuo Takashima, Sergei I. Belikov Archives of Virology.2015; 160(3): 663. CrossRef
Prevalence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks in South Korea Sun-Whan Park, Bong Gu Song, E-Hyun Shin, Seok-Min Yun, Myung-Guk Han, Mi Yeoun Park, Chan Park, Jungsang Ryou Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.2014; 5(6): 975. CrossRef
First
Prev
