광주광역시 도시공원에서 포획한 야생들쥐에 기생하는 참진드기 분포

Distribution of Tick Parasitic on Wild Rodents Collected in Urban Park, Gwangju

This study divided Seungcheonbo Park into shrubland, parking, grasslands, bicycle path, and campgrounds, and then installed Sherman traps to capture 30 wild rodents from March to November 2025. All 30 captured wild rodents were identified Apodemus agrarius. The peak capture period was April, and only a few individuals were captured thereafter because of weed control and pest control starting in June and local flooding caused by frequent rain. The highest number was captured in the shrubland. The external parasites of Apodemus agrarius included ticks, mites, and lice. Among tick species, only 134 Ixodes granulatus were captured. Ninety-seven larvae and 37 nymphs were collected, while no adults were identified. Haemaphysalis longicornis dominates tick populations in South Korea, was not observed, differing from many previous studies. Although I. granulatus is known to be a vector for Lyme disease, there are only a few studies on this species in South Korea. Therefore, future studies should employ various methods to evaluate this species. As people's activities in urban parks increase amid changing urban lifestyles, it will be necessary to devise various epidemic prevention measures and develop disease-specific prevention strategies, such as eliminating mouse habitats through pest control and weed removal throughout the year.