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. 2025 Sep;31(9):1820-1823.
doi: 10.3201/eid3109.241763.

Genetic Characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi, Bhutan, 2015

Tshokey Tshokey, John Stenos, Mythili Tadepalli, Chelsea Nguyen, Stephen R Graves

Genetic Characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi, Bhutan, 2015

Tshokey Tshokey et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2025 Sep.

Abstract

We performed molecular characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi on DNA sequences from 5 patients from Bhutan with scrub typhus. In the 56 kDa gene, all isolates aligned with those from other Asia countries, including Nepal, India, Thailand, and Taiwan. High serum IgM titers correlated with PCR positivity in acutely ill patients.

Keywords: 56 kDa gene; Bhutan; Orientia tsutsugamushi; bacteria; molecular characterization; scrub typhus; vector-borne infections; zoonoses.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Orientia tsutsugamushi 56 kDa gene bootstrap consensus phylogenetic tree from genetic characterization study, Bhutan. Red dots indicate the 5 sequences characterized in this study. The tree was inferred using the neighbor-joining method. The percentages of replicate trees in which the associated taxa clustered together in the bootstrap test (1,000 replicates) are shown next to the branches. GenBank accession numbers are shown.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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