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Volume 32, Number 2—February 2026

Research

Leptotrombidium imphalum Chiggers as Vector for Scrub Typhus in Human Settlements, India, 2022–2023

Carol S. Devamani, Neal Alexander, Rawadee Kumlert, Benjamin L. Makepeace, Serge Morand, Mary Cameron, Alexandr A. Stekolnikov, Winsley Rose, Daniel Chandramohan, Punam Mangtani, Kundavaram P.P. Abhilash, and Wolf-Peter SchmidtComments to Author 
Author affiliation: Christian Medical College, Vellore, India (C.S. Devamani, W. Rose, K.P.P. Abhilash); London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK (N. Alexander, M. Cameron, D. Chandramohan, P. Mangtani, W.-P. Schmidt); Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand (R. Kumlert); University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK (B.L. Makepeace); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France–Kasetsart University and Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand (S. Morand); Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia (A.A. Stekolnikov)

Main Article

Table 3

Molecular detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in chigger mite pools in study of Leptotrombidium imphalum chiggers as vector for scrub typhus in human settlements, India, 2022–2023*

Chigger species No. pools expected to contain species, 
N = 759 Coefficient (95% CI)
L. imphalum 415 2.2% (1.7%–2.6%)
Ericotrombidium bhattipadense 470 −0.3% (−0.7% to 0.1%)
Hypotrombidium sp. 103 −0.4% (−1.2% to 0.4%)
Schoengastia tuberculata 13 2.4% (−2.9% to 7.7%)
Schoengastiella ligula 231 −0.5% (−0.9% to 0.0%)
Schoengastiella ralagea 41 0.4% (−1.5% to 2.2%)
Any Schoengastiella sp. 290 −0.5% (−0.9% to 0.1%)
Microtrombicula kajutekrii 65 −0.9% (−2.3% to 0.5%)
Trombicula hypodermata 41 −0.3% (−2.3% to 1.7%)
Walchia sp. 12 NA

*Coefficient is the absolute change in probability of PCR positivity of a pool per additional chigger of a given species. NA, not applicable.

Main Article

Page created: January 20, 2026
Page updated: February 19, 2026
Page reviewed: February 19, 2026
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