Abstract: Objective To investigate the natural hosts of scrub typhus and the parasitism status on their body surface in Ganzhou, Jiangxi province, China, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of scrub typhus in the area. Methods In Ganzhou, the host animals were captured in four surveillance sites (Yudu, Xunwu, Ganxian, and Shangyou counties) from September to October in each of 2015 and 2016 using the trap-at-night method. The species of the hosts was identified. The chigger mites on their body surface were subjected to comb inspection to identify the species and calculate chigger index. Results A total of 429 small animals (7 species) were captured, with a capture rate of 8.95%. Of the 7 species, Rattus losea was the dominant species, accounting for 51.75%. There were 188 host animals with chigger mites, and the host animals with chigger mites were mostly R. losea, with an overall chigger infestation rate of 43.82%. The chigger infestation rate was higher in Apodemus agrarius, R. norvegicus, and R. losea. A total of 2 875 chigger mites were captured, with a chigger index of 6.70, and R. norvegicus, A. agrarius, and R. losea had a higher chigger index. The species identification of parasitic mites in the 188 host animals showed that there were 5 species of chigger mites, and Leptotrombidium deliense was the dominant species, accounting for 61.70%. Conclusion Ganzhou is possibly a natural focus of scrub typhus, and the dominant host animal and vector are R. losea and L. deliense, respectively. It is necessary to conduct etiological and epidemiological study for the confirmation and futher evidences on the prevention and control of scrub typhus.

Key words: Scrub typhus, Host animal, Vector

摘要： 目的 调查江西省赣州市恙虫病自然宿主及其体表恙螨寄生情况，为该地区恙虫病的防控提供理论依据。方法 选择赣州市于都、寻乌、赣县和上犹县作为监测点，于2015－2016年每年的9－10月利用夹夜法捕获恙螨宿主，鉴定分类并梳检其体表恙螨，对恙螨种类进行鉴定并计算恙螨指数。结果 共捕获小兽429只，捕获率为8.95%，捕获动物共7种，其中以黄毛鼠为优势鼠种，占捕获总数的51.75%；带螨宿主动物188只，以黄毛鼠居多，总带恙螨率为43.82%，黑线姬鼠、褐家鼠和黄毛鼠带恙螨率较高；共捕获恙螨2 875只，带恙螨指数为6.70，其中褐家鼠、黑线姬鼠和黄毛鼠带恙螨指数较高；对188只宿主动物寄生恙螨进行鉴定，结果显示恙螨共5种，以地里纤恙螨为优势种，占61.70%。结论赣州市可能是以黄毛鼠为优势宿主动物、地里纤恙螨为优势传播媒介的恙虫病自然疫源地，应开展恙虫病的病原学和人群流行病学研究，为该病的防治提供进一步的证据。

关键词: 恙虫病, 宿主动物, 传播媒介