TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing scrub typhus and rickettsioses transmission risks in the Chiang Rai province of northern Thailand
AU - Linsuwanon, Piyada
AU - Auysawasdi, Nutthanun
AU - Wongwairot, Sirima
AU - Leepitakrat, Surachai
AU - Rodkhamtook, Wuttikon
AU - Wanja, Elizabeth
AU - Monkanna, Taweesak
AU - Wegner, Matthew
AU - Davidson, Silas
AU - Poovorawan, Yong
AU - Poole-Smith, Betty
AU - Limsuwon, Chawin
AU - McCardle, Patrick
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021/7/1
Y1 - 2021/7/1
N2 - Background: Scrub typhus is an important disease in the Asia-Pacific countries with increasing relevance for public health worldwide. Entomological risk assessment for scrub typhus and rickettsial disease in Phu Chi Fah village-Chiang Rai was performed to determine areas at greatest risk for disease transmission in order to increase awareness of diseases to travelers and healthcare workers. Methods: From 2016 to 2018, rodents and chiggers were collected from 7 sites covering residential, grassland, and forest areas to determine the prevalence of pathogen of interest. The correlation between land type and vector-host-pathogen interaction system was investigated. Result: High prevalence of O. tsutsugamushi-infected and Rickettsia-infected chiggers was observed especially in areas with grassland and forest ecotones. Chigger and rodent species composition were negatively associated with the level of human disturbance. Increased density of rodents was responsible for a higher abundance of chigger population and increased prevalence of O. tsutsugmaushi infection in chigger in the following year. Conclusion: Communities in the study areas have an increased exposure risk to scrub typhus and potentially spotted fever group rickettsiosis. Travellers to this endemic area should pay more attention pathogen risks so as to avoid vector and disease exposure. Seasonal rodenticidal activity may help migitate the risk of pathogen transmission.
AB - Background: Scrub typhus is an important disease in the Asia-Pacific countries with increasing relevance for public health worldwide. Entomological risk assessment for scrub typhus and rickettsial disease in Phu Chi Fah village-Chiang Rai was performed to determine areas at greatest risk for disease transmission in order to increase awareness of diseases to travelers and healthcare workers. Methods: From 2016 to 2018, rodents and chiggers were collected from 7 sites covering residential, grassland, and forest areas to determine the prevalence of pathogen of interest. The correlation between land type and vector-host-pathogen interaction system was investigated. Result: High prevalence of O. tsutsugamushi-infected and Rickettsia-infected chiggers was observed especially in areas with grassland and forest ecotones. Chigger and rodent species composition were negatively associated with the level of human disturbance. Increased density of rodents was responsible for a higher abundance of chigger population and increased prevalence of O. tsutsugmaushi infection in chigger in the following year. Conclusion: Communities in the study areas have an increased exposure risk to scrub typhus and potentially spotted fever group rickettsiosis. Travellers to this endemic area should pay more attention pathogen risks so as to avoid vector and disease exposure. Seasonal rodenticidal activity may help migitate the risk of pathogen transmission.
KW - Chigger-borne disease
KW - Rickettsiosis
KW - Scrub typhus
KW - Species composition. chigger abundance
KW - Spotted fever rickettsiosis
KW - Thailand
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107055144&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102086
DO - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102086
M3 - Article
C2 - 34044127
AN - SCOPUS:85107055144
SN - 1477-8939
VL - 42
JO - Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
JF - Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
M1 - 102086
ER -