Division of Virology, Shimane Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Science, Japan.
Mahara Institute of Medical Acarology, Japan.
Jpn J Infect Dis. 2024 Jan 24;77(1):55-58. doi: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2023.137. Epub 2023 Aug 31.
To demonstrate the transmission cycle of Shimokoshi-type Orientia tsutsugamushi in Shimane Prefecture, field rodents were captured from areas where four human infections caused by the pathogen have been reported. The rodents were investigated for the transmission cycle of the pathogen based on the pathogen's genome, antibodies against the pathogen, and the vector of the pathogen (Leptotrombidium palpale). In addition, the vector was captured from the soil in the study area. A total of 44 rodents were captured. No O. tsutsugamushi DNA was detected in the blood or spleen samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction. However, a specific antibody against the pathogen was detected in 2 out of 44 (4.5%) rodents using the indirect immunoperoxidase method, indicating the presence of the pathogen in the study area. Although 29 L. palpale were identified, DNA detection was not performed because of the insufficient number of vectors, based on the DNA detection rate in previous studies. However, the identification of the vector, as well as the specific antibody in rodents, suggests the presence of the transmission cycle of Shimokoshi-type O. tsutsugamushi in Shimane Prefecture.
为了展示岛根县下宫型恙虫病东方体的传播周期，从报告了 4 例人类感染病原体的地区捕获了野外啮齿动物。根据病原体基因组、针对病原体的抗体以及病原体的媒介（恙螨 palpal），对啮齿动物进行了病原体传播周期的研究。此外，还从研究区域的土壤中捕获了媒介。共捕获了 44 只啮齿动物。实时聚合酶链反应未在血液或脾脏样本中检测到 O. tsutsugamushi DNA。然而，使用间接免疫过氧化物酶法，在 44 只啮齿动物中的 2 只（4.5%）中检测到针对病原体的特异性抗体，表明在研究区域存在病原体。尽管鉴定出了 29 只 L. palpale，但由于媒介数量不足，根据先前研究中的 DNA 检测率，未进行 DNA 检测。然而，媒介的鉴定以及啮齿动物中的特异性抗体表明，岛根县存在下宫型恙虫病东方体的传播周期。
