국내 야생 집쥐(rattus norvegicus)의 scrub typhus 감염

Scrub typhus infection of wild rats (rattus norvegicus) in Korea

Sixty eight wild rats were caught from Seoul city, Kyonggi, Kangwon, Cholla, and Kyongsang-province. All of them were in same species, Rattus norvegicus. Sixty eight sera from wild rats were studied by immunofluorescent antibody assay for evidence of infection by scrub typhus. The antibody prevalance was 22% (15/68) for scrub typhus. The sero-prevalance rates for scrub typhus were the higest in Kangwon with 63% (5/8), Kyongsang with 40% (8/20), and Kyonggi province and Seoul city with 6% (1/16) positive respectively. The sero-positive rate difference between sexes for scrub typhus was not revealed. According to age classification, 15 positive cases to scrub typhus were divided in 16% (1/12) of subadult, 47% (8/17) of middle-aged, and 23% (5/21) of old adult rats.