Bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss in a patient with scrub typhus: a case report

<p class="abstract">Scrub typhus is a febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, a gram negative alpha proteobacterium and transmitted by the bite of leptotrombidium, chigger mite larvae. The disease is endemic to Southeast Asia and Northern Australia and derives its name from the vegetation that harbours the mite. The patient usually presents with high-grade fever, an eschar at the inoculation site, generalised lymphadenopathy, organomegaly and pneumonitis. Rarely, the patient may go into acute renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation and shock. A case of scrub typhus presenting with acute sensorineural hearing loss which resolved with treatment is being reported. Hearing impairment with fever in a patient in endemic region of scrub typhus can give a clue to health care worker towards the diagnosis of scrub typhus and thus early administration of treatment.</p>

Re-descriptions of eight chigger mite species (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) of the Leptotrombidium generic complex from Vietnam

Six mite species of the genus Leptotrombidium Nagayo, Miyagawa, Mitamura and Imamura, 1916 and one species from each of the genera Lorillatum Nadchatram, 1963 and Trombiculindus Radford, 1948, incompletely described by Schluger et al. (1960b, 1963) from rodents and tree shrews in North Vietnam, are re-described based on type series. Lectotypes and paralectotypes have been designated for all redescribed species. Two new synonyms have been established: Leptotrombidium magnum (Schluger, 1960) (= Leptotrombidium dooleyi Nadchatram, 1970, syn. nov.; = Leptotrombidium submagnum Wang, Li and Shi, 1988, syn. nov.).

Infestation and Related Ecology of Chigger Mites on the Asian House Rat (Rattus tanezumi) in Yunnan Province, Southwest China

This paper is to illustrate the infestation and related ecological characteristics of chigger mites on the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi). A total of 17,221 chigger mites were collected from 2,761 R. tanezumi rats, and then identified as 131 species and 19 genera in 2 families. Leptotrombidium deliense, the most powerful vector of scrub typhus in China, was the first major dominant species on R. tanezumi. All the dominant mite species were of an aggregated distribution among different individuals of R. tanezumi. The species composition and infestations of chiggers on R. tanezumi varied along different geographical regions, habitats and altitudes. The species-abundance distribution of the chigger mite community was successfully fitted and the theoretical curve equation was. Ŝ (R)=37e–(0.28R)2 The total chigger species on R. tanezumi were estimated to be 199 species or 234 species, and this further suggested that R. tanezumi has a great potential to harbor abundant species of chigger mites. The results of the species-plot relationship indicated that the chigger mite community on R. tanezumi in Yunnan was an uneven community with very high heterogeneity. Wide geographical regions with large host samples are recommended in the investigations of chigger mites.

Nationwide Incidence of Chigger Mite Populations and Molecular Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in the Republic of Korea, 2020

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has established regional centers at 16 locations to monitor vectors and pathogens. We investigated the geographical and temporal distribution of chigger mite populations to understand tsutsugamushi disease epidemiology in 2020. To monitor weekly chigger mite populations, 3637 chigger mites were collected from sticky chigger mite traps in autumn. Chigger mites appeared from the first week of October to the third week of December, peaking in the fourth week of October. The predominant species were Leptotrombidium scutellare, Leptotrombidium palpale, Neotrombicula kwangneungensis, Neotrombicula tamiyai, and Leptotrombidium pallidum. To monitor Orientia tsutsugamushi infection in chigger mites, 50,153 chigger mites were collected from 499 trapped wild rodents in spring and autumn, with a chigger index of 100.5. Approximately 50% of chigger mites were pooled into 998 pools, and the minimum infection rate (MIR) of O. tsutsugamushi was 0.1%. Jeongeup had the highest MIR for O. tsutsugamushi (0.7%). The Kato-related genotype was the most common (52.2%), followed by the Karp-related (17.4%), Boryong (13.0%), JG-related (8.7%), Shimokoshi (4.3%), and Kawasaki (4.3%) genotypes. Ecological and geographical studies focusing on the basic ecology and pathology of mites will improve our understanding of tsutsugamushi disease risks in the Republic of Korea.

Monitoring Chigger Mites for Orientia tsutsugamushi in Field Small Mammals in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, 2019-2020

Incidence of tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus) caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is steadily increasing. It is a mite-borne disease transmitted by chigger mites. In this study, the chigger mites were collected from field small mammals in Hwaseong-si (city), Gyeonggi-do (province), Korea, 2019 and 2020. The field small mammals captured were 56 Apodemus agrarius (94.9%) and 3 Crocidura lasiura (5.1%). A total of 7,531 chigger mites were collected from the captured small mammals. Using PCR test, 153 chigger mite pools were examined and 17 pools were reported positive for O. tsutsugamushi. The O. tsutsugamushi were identified to 5 strains; Jecheon strain was most prevalent, followed by Boryong strain. The other strains were OI011, Taguchi, and Shimokoshi. Collectively, these results provide essential regional information on mite-borne tsutsugamushi disease in the Hwaseong-si, and further contribute to bring awareness and rapid diagnosis for the tsutsugamushi disease.

New locality and host records of two chigger mite species (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) from Morocco

Two chigger mite species, Ericotrombidium tarentolae (Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston, 1976) and Neotrombicula orycti Taufflieb, 1960, have been recorded outside their type localities and on two species of geckos from the genus Quedenfeldtia Boettger for the first time. One new subjective synonym has been established on the base of examination of type specimens and additional materials — Neotrombicula orycti Taufflieb, 1960 (syn.: Neotrombicula lemni Taufflieb, 1960, n. syn.).

Redescriptions of ten chigger mite species (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) from Vietnam

Ten species of chigger mites from the genera Gahrliepia Oudemans, 1912, Walchia Ewing, 1931, Cheladonta Lipovsky, Crossley and Loomis, 1955, Doloisia Oudemans, 1910, Schoutedenichia Jadin and Vercammen-Grandjean, 1954, and Microtrombicula Ewing, 1950, incompletely described by Schluger et al. (1960a, c, 1961, 1963) from rodents in North Vietnam, are redescribed based on type series. Lectotypes and paralectotypes have been designated for all species. A new synonymy has been established: Walchia delicatula (Schluger, Grochovskaja, Ngu, Hoe and Tung, 1960) (= Walchia tianguangshanensis Zhao, 1981 syn. nov.).

Co-occurrence of Eutrombicula alfreddugesi and Oswaldofilaria chabaudi in Tropidurus torquatus and first report of microfilariae in the chigger mite: possible evidence of a lifecycle pathway?

While much attention has been paid to vector-borne filariasis, diseases that threaten millions of people in tropical and subtropical countries, the literature on host–parasite associations and transmission strategies of filarial nematodes in wildlife is scarce. Here, we report the co-occurrence of chigger mites (Eutrombicula alfreddugesi) and onchocercid nematodes (Oswaldofilaria chabaudi) parasitizing the lizard Tropidurus torquatus in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Examination of chiggers established, for the first time, the occurrence of microfilariae in trombiculid mites (Trombiculidae). These larvae were morphologically similar to those recovered from adult females of O. chabaudi. The current evidence suggests that chiggers do not play a role in the transmission of filarioid nematodes, but rather act as accidental or dead-end hosts. Nevertheless, considering the polyphagous nature of trombiculid mites, similar to blood-sucking insects involved in the transmission of several infectious diseases, further studies may shed light on the potential role of chiggers as vectors of filarioids.

Detection of DNA of Rickettsia and Orientia tsutsugamushi in rodents and ectoparasites in Ha Giang province

Rickettsial fever is one of a zoonotic disease which is caused by bacteria genus Rickettsia. The ectoparasites such as ticks, mites, fleas, lice... were demonstrated as the main transmited vectors through host reservoirs are rodents and small animals including mice, squirrels, mink... In this study, the rodents and ectoparasites species were identified. The molecular detection of Rickettsia was also performed. In 2018, 83 rats were trapped in 2 villages Thanh Duc and Phu Linh, Vi Xuyen district, Ha Giang province, in which 48.2% mice were found as house mice Rattus flavipectus, 21.7% was forest mice R. rattus, 12% was R. fulvescens, 8.4% was R. nitidus, the remaining rates were R. bowersi, Mus. pahari, Leopoldamys sabanus, Mus musculus and R. niviventer, accounting for 1.2% - 3.6%. The ectoparasites survey found 5 chigger mite species including Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) deliense, Ascoschoengastia (Laurentella) indica, Garhliepia (Walchia) rustica, Lorilutum oreophilum and Shunsenia sp as well as 3 gamasid mite species such as Laelaps (Echidninus) sedlaceki, Laelaps (Laelaps) nuttali and Lenstivalius klossi bispiniformis. The result indicated that 19.3% and 10.8% mice were positive with Ricketsia spotted fever group (SFG) and Rickettsia typhi, respectively by real-time PCR. The nested PCR result showed that 19.4% R. flavipectus mice and 10% L. (L.) deliense chigger mites were positive with Orientia tsutsugamushi.