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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 5

Molecular detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in small mammal spleen tissue in study of Leptotrombidium imphalum chiggers as vector for scrub typhus in human settlements, India, 2022–2023

Small mammal species Prevalence in spleen tissue, no. positive/no. tested (%)
Village center Village edge Field Total
Black rat, Rattus rattus 9/79 (11.4) 9/82 (11) 9/112 (8) 27/273 (9.9)
Greater bandicoot rat, Bandicota indica 4/156 (2.6) 2/103 (1.9) 1/24 (4.2) 7/283 (2.5)
Indian gerbil, Tatera indica 0/0 1/3 (33.3) 3/9 (33.3) 4/12 (33.3)
Mouse, Mus spp. 0/1 (0) 0/0 0/21 (0) 0/22 (0)
Three-striped Indian palm squirrel, Funambulus palmarum 0/0 0/1 (0) 0/12 (0) 0/13 (0)
Asian house shrew, Suncus murinus 15/78 (19.2) 18/101 (17.8) 28/91 (30.8) 61/270 (22.6)
Asian gray mongoose, Urva edwardsii
 0/0
 0/0
 0/1 (0)
 0/1 (0)
Total 28/314 (8.9) 30/290 (10.3) 41/270 (15.2) 99/874 (11.3)

Main Article

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