Abstract
OBJECTIVESScrub typhus is the most common febrile disease in Korea during the autumn. Jeju Island is the largest island in South Korea and has a distinctive oceanic climate. This study aimed to identify epidemiologic characteristics of scrub typhus on Jeju Island.METHODSFrom January 2011 to December 2016, 446 patients were diagnosed with scrub typhus on Jeju Island. The patients’ personal data and the environmental factors that might be related to scrub typhus were investigated and retrospectively analyzed.RESULTSThe median age of the patients was 58-years-old (range, 8 to 91) and 43% of them worked in the agricultural, forestry or livestock industry. Regardless of their job, 87% of the patients had a history of either working outdoors or of other activities before developing scrub typhus. The south and southeast regions of Jeju Island, especially Namwon-eup, showed the highest incidence of scrub typhus. Workers in mandarin orange orchards seemed to be the highest risk group for scrub typhus infection.CONCLUSIONSScrub typhus on Jeju Island showed unique characteristics. To efficiently prevent scrub typhus, each year individual regional approaches should be developed based on the epidemiologic characteristics of the disease.
Highlights
IntroductionIII notifiable infectious diseases; it is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi [1]
Scrub typhus is a mite-borne infection that belongs to the GroupIII notifiable infectious diseases; it is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi [1]
In order to investigate the relationship between scrub typhus and occupation, the occupation-related exposures of the subjects were divided into four categories: 1) those working in the agriculture, forestry or livestock industry; 2) other outdoor workers; 3) those engaged in occupation-unrelated one-time or hobby agriculture, forestry or livestock work; and 4) those engaged in simple outdoor activities
Summary
III notifiable infectious diseases; it is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi [1] The vector of this bacterium is larval trombiculid mites or chigger mites of the genus Leptotrombidium [2]. Chigger mites must feed on the tissue fluid of a host animal during their transformation from larvae to adults. At this time, when a larva is accidently transferred to a person and feeds on their tissue fluid, the causative agent is transmitted through the host’s skin, infecting the individual [3]. Scrub typhus is endemic to AsiaPacific tropical and rural areas including South Korea
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