Novel Vector of Scrub Typhus in Sub-Antarctic Chile: Evidence From Human Exposure

• Published in: Clinical Infectious Diseases
• Main Authors: Weitzel, Thomas, Silva-de la Fuente, María Carolina, Martínez-Valdebenito, Constanza, Stekolnikov, Alexandr A, Pérez, Caricia, Pérez, Ruth, Vial, Cecilia, Abarca, Katia, Acosta-Jamett, Gerardo
• Other Authors: Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, FONDECYT, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021
• Subjects: Infectious Diseases; Microbiology (medical); Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab748; http://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/cid/ciab748/40835671/ciab748.pdf; https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-pdf/74/10/1862/43893772/ciab748.pdf

Abstract The exposure of a research team to chigger mites in southern Chile allowed the first identification of a trombiculid species as vector and reservoir of scrub typhus outside the tsutsugamushi triangle, providing unique insights into the ecology and transmission of this recently discovered rickettsial infection in South America.