Survey of chigger mites and their hosts in Xiamen City

GUO Zhi-nan; LIN Zan-ming; WANG Jia-xu; RONG Biao; SU Cheng-hao

Abstract：Objective To investigate the chigger mites and their hosts and dominant population in Xiamen City,and provide the basis for prevention and control of tsutsugamushi disease.Methods All chigger mites were collected from the earlaps and auricular fossae of murine-like animal in Jimei District,Haicang District and Tongan District of Xiamen;chigger mite specimens were sealed with liquid seal and identified under a microscope.Results 640 murinelike animal were captured from 2014 to 2015,they were belonged to 5 species,3 genera,2 families and 2orders,including 4 species,2 genera,and 1 families of Rodentia and 1 species of Insectivora.Rattus norvegicas (70.78％)was the dominant species.The total chigger index was 1.24 and Rattus losea held the highest (1.74).The murinelike animal carried 6 species of chigger mites.Total 791 chigger mites,belonging to 6 species 3 genera and 2 subfamilies,were collected and identified.Leptotrombidium delicense (46.78％) and Leptotrombidium scutellare (36.41％) were the dominant species,4 species of chigger mites which were identified from Leptotrombidium accounted for 87.10％ of all chigger mites.Conclusion There were tsutsugamushi disease main host animals and chigger vectors in Xiamen.Deratization should be strengthened,which is important to strengthen prevention and control of tsutsugamushi.