Molecular detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi infection in bats from the China-Myanmar border.

ABSTRACT: Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot), the causative agent of tsutsugamushi disease (TD), has been detected in Muridae, Soricidae, Cricetidae, Canidae, Artiodactyla, and birds, as well as in its trombiculid mite vectors. However, to date, scarce reports have documented Ot infection in bats. TD is an ancient zoonotic disease transmitted through the bite of infected trombiculid mites. The global disease burden of TD, particularly in impoverished regions, warrants renewed attention and a reevaluation of public health strategies. In this study, we analyzed bat samples for Ot using nested PCR (nPCR) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for both qualitative and quantitative detection. Genetic evolution and divergence time of the detected Ot sequences were assessed using bioinformatics tools, including Bi

SUBMITTER: Long Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818740 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature