Leptospirosis, Scrub Typhus and Colorado-Tick Fever Like Disease in Korea

摘要

Studies were conducted throughout the Republic of Korea (ROK) to bettercharacterize the distribution of militarily important human infections with hantaviruses, leptospira, scrub typhus, murine typhus and a Colorado tick fever-like agent; to systematically describe the prevalence of infection in rodent and human populations, relating ecology, ectoparasite and rodent population dynamics to transmission and maintenance of infection; to identify risk factors for acquisition of human disease with the above agents. A case control study of risk factors for acquiring KHF-like illness conducted in ROK soldiers showed increased risk of acquiring KHF associated with sleeping in tents and other primitive dwellings; living in dwellings with dirt floors; digging trenches; sightings of Apodemus; and the use of camouflage. Helping local farmers harvest rice did not increase KHF risk. Examination of 5947 serum specimens from civilian and ROK military patients with hemorrhagic manifestations determined the etiology as HFRS in 14%, scrub typhus in 18%, while the etiology remained unknown in 59% of patients. Leptospirosis, Scrub typhus, Colorado tick fever, Korean hemorrhagic fever, Epidemiology, Serodiagnosis, Field survey, Rodent, Geozoological survey.