Orientia tsutsugamushi infection in rodents in Anhui Province of China

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution Vol. 56; pp. 14 - 18
• Main Authors: Latif, Adams, Liu, Bo-Yu, Chen, Zhen, Sun, Yong, Shi, Yong-Lin, Zong, Jia, Li, Jia-Jia, Ren, Cui-Pin, Zhang, Xiao-Cheng, Liu, Xiao-Ning, Yu, Xue-Jie, Liu, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-12-2017
• Subjects: Apodemus agrarius; Orientia tsutsugamushi; Rodents; Orientia tsutsugamushi; Rodents; Apodemus agrarius
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.10.014

We conducted an investigation of Orientia tsutsugamushi infection among rodents in non-endemic areas in Anhui Province. Fifty-six (56) rodents including 44 Apodemus agrarius and 12 Niviventer niviventer were trapped and captured in autumn in the fields of three counties in Anhui Province. DNA samples were amplified and sequenced for the 56kDa protein gene of Orientia tsutsugamushi. The overall infection rate in the rodents was 23.2%(13/56). The rate of detection of O. tsutsugamushi in Apodemus agrarius and Niviventer niviventer were 27.3% and 8.3% respectively. Moreover, we identified two genotypes (Karp and Gilliam strains) of Orientia tsutsugamushi in rodents. Our study demonstrated that Apodemus agrarius is the main host for O. tsutsugamushi pathogen and this is the first report of Karp and Gilliam strains in these non-endemic areas in Anhui Province.
•We detected Orientia tsutsugamushi infection among rodents in Anhui Province.•Two genotypes (Karp and Gilliam strains) of Orientia tsutsugamushi were identified in rodents.•The study demonstrated that Apodemus agrarius is an important host for O. tsutsugamushi pathogen.•First report of Karp and Gilliam strains from these areas in China.