Surveillance of Vector-Borne Zoonotic Diseases in South Korea: Uncovering Novel Pathogen Carriers Among Rodents and Mites Nationwide.

Abstract

Wild rodents and their ectoparasites are known reservoirs for various zoonotic pathogens, highlighting the need for detailed studies into their roles in disease transmission. Our research investigated the spatial distribution of rodents and their ectoparasites to better understand the epidemiology of vector-borne zoonotic diseases (VBZDs), including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), Lyme disease, Q fever, and scrub typhus. We analyzed samples from 540 rodents and 6785 mites, detecting the presence ofspp., the causative agent of Lyme disease, in 0.9% of rodents and SFTS virus (SFTSV) in 1.0%. In mites,spp. and, the bacteria causing scrub typhus, were detected in 0.3% of samples each. Phylogenetic analysis identified the SFTSV sequence as type B3, thespp. sequence as, and thesequence as Karp-related. Notably, SFTSV was detected for the first time in mites in South Korea, andwas found in mites for the first time globally. These findings emphasize the critical need for continuous analysis of VBZDs to anticipate future trends and develop a comprehensive monitoring system. Further research into the rodent and mite populations in South Korea is essential to fully assess the potential risks of VBZDs.