Effect of Latitude and Seasonal Variation on Scrub Typhus, South Korea, 2001–2013

Ye Sul Jeung School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea

Search for other papers by Ye Sul Jeung in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Choon-Mee Kim School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea

Search for other papers by Choon-Mee Kim in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Na Ra Yun School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea

Search for other papers by Na Ra Yun in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Seok-Won Kim School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea

Search for other papers by Seok-Won Kim in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Mi Ah Han School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea

Search for other papers by Mi Ah Han in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Dong-Min Kim School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea

Search for other papers by Dong-Min Kim in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.15-0474
Volume/Issue:
Volume 94: Issue 1
Page(s):
22–25
Restricted access
Get Permissions

In South Korea, scrub typhus is one of the most common rickettsial diseases. The number of scrub typhus patients has increased in South Korea, a total of 69,210 cases were reported from 2001 to 2013. The seasonality and relation of scrub typhus cases to latitude were analyzed in this article using data obtained from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System website of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The incidence of scrub typhus tended to increase in the later months of the year, especially in October–December. In general, lower latitudes were associated with a later peak incidence. Our results suggest for the first time that the monthly observed incidence tended to increase in the later months of the year as the latitude decreased, and on a yearly basis in Korea.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Dong-Min Kim, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-717, South Korea. E-mail: drongkim@chosun.ac.kr
† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Financial support: This study was supported by research funds from Chosun University in 2015.

Authors' addresses: Ye Sul Jeung, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea, E-mail: roseyesul@naver.com. Choon-Mee Kim, Premedical Science, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, South Korea, E-mail: choonmee@chosun.ac.kr. Na Ra Yun and Dong-Min Kim, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea, E-mails: shine@chosun.ac.kr and drongkim@chosun.ac.kr. Seok-Won Kim, Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea, E-mail: chosunns@chosun.ac.kr. Mi Ah Han, Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea, E-mail: mahan@chosun.ac.kr.

Reprint requests: Dong-Min Kim, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, 588 Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-717, South Korea, E-mail: drongkim@chosun.ac.kr, Tel: +82-62-220-3108, Fax: +82-62-234-9653.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2016
Received:
27 Jun 2015
|
Accepted:
20 Aug 2015
|
Published Online:
06 Jan 2016
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
  • 1.

    Jeong YJ, Kim S, Wook YD, Lee JW, Kim KI, Lee SH, 2007. Scrub typhus: clinical, pathologic, and imaging findings. Radiographics 27: 161–172.

  • 2.

    Kelly DJ, Fuerst PA, Ching WM, Richards AL, 2009. Scrub typhus: the geographic distribution of phenotypic and genotypic variants of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Clin Infect Dis 48 (Suppl 3): 203–230.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 3.

    Lee HI, Shim SK, Song BG, Choi EN, Hwang KJ, Park MY, Park C, Shin EH, 2011. Detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus, in a novel mite species, Eushoengastia koreaensis, in Korea. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 11: 209–214.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 4.

    Mahajan SK, Rolain JM, Kashyap R, Bakshi D, Sharma V, Prasher BS, Pal LS, Raoult D, 2006. Scrub typhus in Himalayas. Emerg Infect Dis 12: 1590–1592.

  • 5.

    Kuo CC, Huang JL, Ko CY, Lee PF, Wang HS, 2011. Spatial analysis of scrub typhus infection and its association with environmental and socioeconomic factors in Taiwan. Acta Trop 120: 52–58.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 6.

    Cao M, Guo H, Tang T, Wang C, Li X, Pan W, Tang J, 2006. Spring scrub typhus, People's Republic of China. Emerg Infect Dis 12: 1463–1465.

  • 7.

    Ree HI, Lee IY, Cho MK, 1991. Determination of the vector species of tsutsugamushi disease in Korea. Korean J Parasitol 29: 87–92.

  • 8.

    Kweon SS, Choi JS, Lim HS, Kim JR, Kim KY, Ryu SY, Lee SD, Im HK, Kwon JW, 2009. A community-based case-control study of behavioral factors associated with scrub typhus during the autumn epidemic season in South Korea. Am J Trop Med Hyg 80: 442–446.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9.

    Roh JY, Song BG, Park WI, Shin EH, Park C, Park MY, Chang KS, Lee WG, Lee HI, Shin EH, 2014. Coincidence between geographical distribution of Leptotrombidium scutellare and scrub typhus in South Korea. PLoS One 9: e113193.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10.

    Kweon SS, Choi JS, Lim HS, Kim JP, Kim KY, Ryu SY, Yoo HS, Park O, 2009. Rapid increase of scrub typhus, South Korea, 2001–2006. Emerg Infect Dis 15: 1127–1129.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11.

    Li T, Yang Z, Dong Z, Wang M, 2014. Meteorological factors and risk of scrub typhus in Guangzhou, southern China, 2006–2012. BMC Infect Dis 14: 139.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12.

    Lee IY, Kim HC, Lee YS, Seo JH, Lim JW, Yong TS, Klein TA, Lee WJ, 2009. Geographical distribution and relative abundance of vectors of scrub typhus in the Republic of Korea. Korean J Parasitol 47: 381–386.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 13.

    Takahashi M, Morita K, Tsuji O, Misumi H, Otsuji J, Hori E, Kawanura A Jr, Tanaka H, 1995. Seasonal development of Leptotrombidium akamushi (Acari: Trombiculidae) under field temperatures. J Med Entomol 32: 843–846.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 14.

    Van Peenen PF, Lien JC, Santana FJ, See R, 1976. Correlation of chigger abundance with temperature at a hyperendemic focus of scrub typhus. J Parasitol 62: 653–654.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 63 63 7
Full Text Views 390 158 0
PDF Downloads 109 18 0
 
Membership Banner
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save