CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES >

2025 , Vol. 43 >Issue 3: 385 - 394

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2025.03.013

Original article

Investigation of chigger mites on the surface of murines and other small mammals in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

  • LIU Chenxi ,
  • GUO Xianguo ,
  • LV Yan ,
  • YIN Pengwu ,
  • SONG Wenyu ,
  • PENG Peiying ,
  • XIANG Rong ,
  • CHEN Yanling ,
  • LI Bei
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  • 1 Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali 671000, Yunnan, China
    2 Institute of Microbiology, Qujing Medical College, Qujing 655100, Yunnan, China
    3 Shenshan Central Hospital, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shanwei 516600, Guangdong, China

Received date: 2024-10-28

  Revised date: 2025-03-13

  Online published: 2025-06-18

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China(82160400)

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Abstract

Objective To retrospectively analyze the species composition, list of classification, and infection prevalence of chigger mites in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, so as to provide insights into monitoring and prevention and control of scrub typhus and its vector chigger mites in the prefecture. Methods Field surveys were conducted in six counties of Muli Tibetan Autonomous County, Mianning County, Zhaojue County, Yanyuan County, Dechang County, and Huidong County in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture from 2013 to 2020. Chigger mites were collected from the surface of murines and small mammals in different habitats, enveloped with Hoyer’s medium to generate slide specimens of chigger mites, and individually characterized to species. The prevalence (PM), mean abundance (MA), and intensity of chigger mite infections (MI) were calculated, and the community indicators of chigger mites were estimated, including richness index (S), Shannon Wiener diversity index (H’), Pielou evenness (E), and Simpson dominance index (D). The adequacy of sampling was determined using species rarefaction curves, extrapolation curves, and sample coverage. In addition, the interspecific relationships among main chigger mites were examined using Spearson correlation coefficients, and the interrelationships between host animals and chigger mites were evaluated using bilateral network analysis. Results A total of 20 313 chigger mites were identified from the surface of 778 murines and other small mammal hosts belonging to 24 species, 14 genera, 4 families and 3 orders, including 132 species (15 vector or potential vector chigger mites), 14 genera, 3 subfamilies and 2 families, and Leptotrombidium was the dominant genus (75.3%, 15 296/20 313). The gross PM, MA, MI, S, H’, E and D of chigger mites were 65.2%, 26.11 mites/animal, 40.07 mites/animal, 32, 3.20, 0.65, and 0.92 on the surface of small mammals across Liangshan, with sample coverage of 99.9%. The PM, MA and MI of chigger mites appeared a tendency towards a decline with the rise in elevation, and the community indicators of chigger mites appeared a tendency towards a rise followed by a decline with the rise in elevation. Of 132 species of chigger mites, the constituent ratio of five dominant species was 52.4%, and there were positive correlations with varying degrees among 5 dominant chigger mites and 5 main vector chigger mites (r = 0.19-0.87, P < 0.01). Bilateral network analysis revealed that one host harbored multiple species of chigger mites and one species of chigger mites was parasitized in multiple species of hosts. Conclusion Chigger mites are abundant in species and high in species diversity in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. The prevalence of chigger mite infections is common and high in hosts, and the prevalence of chigger mite infections and community structure of chigger mites vary in elevation. The main chigger mites have a tendency towards choosing the same host and interspecific coexistence in Liangshan, and Leptotrombidium genus is widespread in Liangshan. There are 15 species of vector chigger mites, and most present a low specificity to hosts, which increases the potential risk of continuous transmission of scrub typhus in Liangshan.

Key words： Chigger mite; Vector of scrub typhus; Species composition; Infection; Community; Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture

Cite this article

LIU Chenxi , GUO Xianguo , LV Yan , YIN Pengwu , SONG Wenyu , PENG Peiying , XIANG Rong , CHEN Yanling , LI Bei . Investigation of chigger mites on the surface of murines and other small mammals in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES, 2025 , 43(3) : 385 -394 . DOI: 10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2025.03.013

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