Abstract:AimTo detect Orientia tsutsugamushi in chigger mites and analyse the epidemic trend of scrub typhus in Fujian Province.MethodsNested polymerase chain reaction(nPCR) were used for detection of a 88bp DNA fragment of O tsutsugamushi Sta 58kDa gene.A tested sample of chigger mites collected from coastal and mountain areas was composed of a batch of identical larvae from a field rodent.The areas where chigger mites were infected with the causative agent were considered as epidemic foci of scrub typhus.ResultsOf 105 samples of the chigger mites,7 PCR amplified products showed Ot-positive.The predominant host of Ot was Rattus losea,and the most common species of infected trombiculid mite were Leptotrombidium delience and L Scutellare.No significant changes was observed for the hosts and vectors of the disease in comparison with historically related data.ConclusionThe infection of O tsutsugamushi in chigger mites in coastal areas is more severe than in mountain areas,and the epidemic areas have the extended trend in the province.