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Trombiculid Mites(Scrub typhus mites) |
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Diseases carried |
Scrub typhus | Vector organisms |
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Life Cycle and Control |
Trombiculid mites have a complex life cycle going through six stages:
Only the larva and the deutonymph actively feed and only the larva feeds on animal hosts.It may remain attached to a mammalian host for 10 days or more feeding on lymph (rather than blood) and tissue detritus. The protonymph and tritonymph are inactive underground stages and the adult and deutonymph feed on other arthropods. Distribution of mites can be very patchy because they require an environment where the adults have an abundant prey population and where mammals frequently pass through to support the larvae. The local climate must also be one in which the mites do not dig too deep for protection as this prevents egg laying. The mode by which the mite transmits scrub typhus is intergenerational. The scrub typhus agent is picked up by one generation of larvae and when they mature and lay eggs, the agent is passed onto another host by the larval stage. The mite is the main reservoir and other mammals, such as rats, do not play a significant role in transmission. |
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Other Countermeasures |
Spraying is the primary countermeasure. Care must be taken in selecting the pesticide in agricultural areas to minimize indirect exposure risks to humans, e.g. through eating contaminated cereals or vegetables. Repellents are a second major countermeasure. |
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Other comments |
{Comments} | {etcetera} | |
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