Habitat and Season Drive Chigger Mite Diversity and Abundance on Small Mammals in Peninsular Malaysia



Alkathiry, Hadil, Al-Rofaai, Ahmed, Ya'cob, Zubaidah, Cutmore, Tamsin S, Mohd-Azami, Siti Nurul Izzah, Husin, Nurul Aini, Lim, Fang Shiang, Koosakulnirand, Sirikamon, Mahfodz, Nor Hidayana, Ishak, Siti Nabilah
et al (show 7 more authors) (2022) Habitat and Season Drive Chigger Mite Diversity and Abundance on Small Mammals in Peninsular Malaysia. PATHOGENS, 11 (10). 1087-.

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Abstract

Chigger mites are vectors of the bacterial disease scrub typhus, caused by <i>Orientia</i> spp. The bacterium is vertically transmitted in the vector and horizontally transmitted to terrestrial vertebrates (primarily wild small mammals), with humans as incidental hosts. Previous studies have shown that the size of the chigger populations is correlated with the density of small mammals in scrub typhus-endemic regions. Here, we explore interactions between the small mammals and chiggers in two oil palm plantations located in the Perak and Johor states of Peninsular Malaysia. The location in Perak also contained an aboriginal (Orang Asli) settlement. A ~5% sub-sample from 40,736 chigger specimens was identified from five species of small mammals (<i>n</i> = 217), revealing 14 chigger species, including two new records for Malaysia. The abundance and species richness of chiggers were significantly affected by habitat type (highest in forest border), state (highest in Perak), and season (highest in dry). The overall prevalence of <i>Orientia tsutsugamushi</i> DNA in small-mammal tissues was 11.7% and was not significantly affected by host or habitat characteristics, but in Johor, was positively associated with infestation by <i>Leptotrombidium arenicola</i>. These findings highlight the risk of contracting scrub typhus in oil palm plantations and associated human settlements.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: scrub typhus, oil palm, tropical infection, Rattus tanezumi, Tupaia glis, trombiculid, Leptotrombidium
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 06 Oct 2022 13:39
Last Modified: 18 Jan 2023 20:40
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101087
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3165212