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Review
. 2018 Aug;56(4):313-324.
doi: 10.3347/kjp.2018.56.4.313. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Research Progress on Leptotrombidium deliense

Yan Lv  1   2 , Xian-Guo Guo  1   2 , Dao-Chao Jin  1
Affiliations
Review

Research Progress on Leptotrombidium deliense

Yan Lv et al. Korean J Parasitol. 2018 Aug.

Abstract

This article reviews Leptotrombidium deliense, including its discovery and nomenclature, morphological features and identification, life cycle, ecology, relationship with diseases, chromosomes and artificial cultivation. The first record of L. deliense was early in 1922 by Walch. Under the genus Leptotrombidium, there are many sibling species similar to L. deliense, which makes it difficult to differentiate L. deliense from another sibling chigger mites, for example, L. rubellum. The life cycle of the mite (L. deliense) includes 7 stages: egg, deutovum (or prelarva), larva, nymphochrysalis, nymph, imagochrysalis and adult. The mite has a wide geographical distribution with low host specificity, and it often appears in different regions and habitats and on many species of hosts. As a vector species of chigger mite, L. deliense is of great importance in transmitting scrub typhus (tsutsugamushi disease) in many parts of the world, especially in tropical regions of Southeast Asia. The seasonal fluctuation of the mite population varies in different geographical regions. The mite has been successfully cultured in the laboratory, facilitating research on its chromosomes, biochemistry and molecular biology.

Keywords: Chigger mites; Leptotrombidium deliense; ecology; life cycle; scrub typhus; vector.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare they have not conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Larva of Leptotrombidium deliense (10×20).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Scutum of the Leptotrombidium deliense larva (10×40).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Seven stages in the life cycle of Leptotrombidium deliense.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Geographical distribution of Leptotrombidium deliense and scrub typhus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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