The Real Enemy Scrub Typhus and the Invasion of Sansapor Robert K. D. Peterson T he covering force of the American Navy slipped past the main body of the invasion force at 0200 hours. The main body ϐͲͷͲͲǤǤ ϐ ǡ preceded by aerial or naval bombardment. The invasion planners landing area. ϐǡ ǤǤǯϐ ǤϐͲͲͲǡ Ǥ ǤǤǯ ϐ Ǧ Ǥ ͵ͲǡͳͻͶͶǡ ǡ͵ͲͲ th Ǧ ǡ ȋǤͳȌǤ ǯ Ǥǡ ϐ ͳͻͶ͵ ͳͻͶͶ ǡǡǤ ϐ ǡǡ ǤͳͻͶͶǡ ǯ Fig. 1. Elements of the 1st Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division, landing at Cape Sansapor, Dutch New Guinea (U.S. Army). American Entomologist • Volume 55, Number 2 ǡ ϐ Ǥ Ǥ ǡ Ǧ ϐ ǯ Ȅ Ȅ Ǥ ǡ ǡ ȋͳͻͷ͵ȌǤ ͵ͳǡ Ǥ ǡ ǡ Ǣ͵ͷth had departed the area several days before, leaving many supplies. ϐ ǡ ϐǤ ͷǤǡ Ȅ ȄǤ Ǥ ǤϐǦ ǡ Ǥ ͳͳǡͳ͵ͷ Ǣ͵Ͳǡͻ͵ͳ Ǥ ͳst ǡǡϐ Ǥ ϐ Ǥ ǡ ͻͲͲȄ ȋ ͳͻͶͺǡͳͻͶȌȋǤʹȌǤ Ǧ ǡ ǡ Ǧ typhus, scrub typhus, tropical typhus, and tsutsugamushi disease are all names for the same disease. The most colorful name is tsuǦ ǡ Dz dz Ǥ Ǥ ǡǡǤ ǡDzdzDz dz ȋʹͲͲȌǤ ͳͺͻͻǡ Orientia tsutsugamushi ȋαRickettsia tsutsugamushiȌǤ LeptotrombidiumȋαTrombiculaȌǡDz dz Ǥ ǡ 91 Fig. 2. Scrub typhus case rates (cases per thousand per year) by date for Owi-Biak and Sansapor epidemics (from Philip 1964). by L. akamushi or L. deliense ȋǤ͵ȌǤ O. tsutsugamushi ǯ ǡ Ǥ Therefore, the mite is the primary reservoir for the pathogen. Adult Ǥ ǦLeptotrombidium larva is the only stage that feeds on Ǥϐ Ǥǡ ǡ ǦǡǦ ͳͲǤ ͵Ͳ ȋǤͶȌǤ ȋͳͻͻȌǤ Ǥϐ glands have the highest concentrations of O. tsutsugamushi. After a ͳͲǦͳʹ ǡ Ǥǡ ǡ ǡ ǡȋȌǡ ȋ ȌǤǡ ͺǦͳʹǡ ǡ ȋǤͷȌǤǡ Ǥǡ Ǥ ǡ symptoms may include enlargement of the spleen, pneumonia, ϐȋ Ȍǡǡ Ǥǡ ϐ ȋͳͻͻȌǤ ϐǡ Ǥ͵ǤͶ Ǥ ͳͷͲǡͲͲͲǦ Ǥ ǡ ͳstǡơ ȋͳͻͶͺȌǤ and, because of their frail condition, febrile patients could not be ǡǦ Ǥ ͵͵Ǥͷ Ǥ Ǧ ǡ Ǥǡ Ǧǡ Rickettsia prowazekii ȋǤͳͻ͵ȌǤ O ǡ Ǧ ȋǤͳȌǤ ǡ ǤǤǯ ϐ root out determined defenders. There, scientists had no choice but ǡϐǤ ǡ ʹͶͳ Ǥ Dz dz of rats, L. deliense as the vector, and at least three highly virulent strains of O. tsutsugamushiȋͳͻͶͺȌǤ Fig. 4. Drawing of scrub typhus cycle in nature (from Philip 1964). Fig. 3. Leptotrombidium akamushi, a primary vector of Orientia tsutsugamushi, the pathogen that causes scrub typhus (U.S. Army). 92 ϐ Ǥ ǤǤǤǡ ǡ ǡǡ ϐ ͳͻͶ͵ǡ ȂȂ ȂȂ Ǥ American Entomologist • ʹͲͲͻ Fig. 5. Eschar of scrub typhus patient at the site of the mite’s bite (U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology). Fig. 7. Barrels of repellent emulsion used to treat uniforms (U.S. Army). ȋͳͻͶȌǤ ǡ ơ Ǥǡ ơ ǡǡǦ ǤǦǡ ǡ ơ Ǥ Ǧ ǡǦǡ Ǥ ǡǡ Dz ǡ ǡ ǡ ǡ ơ Ǥdz ȋ ͳͻͷ͵ȌǤ ǡ ǡ ȋǤȌǤ ǡ Ǧ ǦȋǤȌǤ ǡǤ ϐ ϐȋͳͻͶȌǤơ ǡǦ Ǥ ǡ ǡ ͳͲͲǤ ϐ ǡ Ǧǡϐ ǡ ǡǡ ǡϐǤ Ǥ ϐ Ǥ th ͳͻͶͶǤǡ involved in the invasion of the Philippines and spent the remainder Ǥ A )LJ(GXFDWLRQSRVWHUXVHGLQWKH3DFLÀF7KHDWHU86$UP\ American Entomologist • Volume 55, Number 2 ȋͻͲǡͲͲͲǤǤ Ȍ ȋͶͲǡͲͲͲǤǤ Ȍǡ Ǧ ϐ Ǥ ǡͲͲͲ ͳͻͶʹ ͳͻͶͷǡ͵ͲͲǤ ǡǡ ͳǡͲͲͲǡͲͲǤ ϐ ǡ ȋͳͻͶͺȌǤ Ǥǡ Ǥ Ǥ ǡ ȋͳͻͶͺȌǤ ǡO. tsutsugamushi vectored through Leptotrombidium mites 93 Ǥ ơ ϐ ǡ Ǥ ǡ ȋͳͻͶȌ ǡ Dzǥ Ǥdz Today, scrub typhus can be cured relatively easily using antibiotǦ ics. There is still no vaccine and personal protective measures such Ǧ very important in the management of the disease. The role of Allied scientists, including many entomologists, during ǤǦ Ǧơ ǡ Ǥǡ sadly, several researchers gave their lives in service to their countries. ȋͳͻͶͺȌϐ Ǥ The events surrounding the epidemic of scrub typhus during Ǥ ǡ armies have often been devastated not by defending forces, but by Ǧ ÃȋͳͻͻͷȌǤʹͲth century Ǥ ǡ Ǧ borne diseases remains for military forces. There are still numerous ơ ǡ Ǥ ǡ Ǧ pod vectors and protection of troops from bites remain important disease management strategies. References Cited Harwood, R. F. and M. T. James. 1979. Entomology in human and animal ǤthǤ ǡǤ Peterson, R. K. D. 1995. ǡ ǡ ǣ Napoleonic campaigns and historical perception. Am. Entomol. ͶͳǣͳͶǦͳͲǤ Philip, C. B. 1948.ȋ ȌǤ ǤǤ͵ͶǣͳͻǦͳͻͳǤ Philip, C. B. 1964. ǤǤʹͷǦ͵ͶǤǤǤǡ ǤȋǤȌǤ ǣ ǡǤ Ǥ Ǧ ǡǤϐ ǡ ǤǡǤǤ Smith, R. R. 1953.Ǥ ϐ ǣ Ǥ ͷǦͺǤ ǡǤǡǤǤ [USACHPPM]. United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine. 2006. Ǥ ͳͺǦͲ͵ͺǦͲͺͲǤ ǡǤǤǤ ǡ Ǥ Zarafonetis, C. J. D. and M. P. Baker. 1963. ǤǤͳͳͳǦͳͶʹǤ ǤǤǡǤȋǤȌǤ ǡǤ Ǥ ǡǤϐ ǡǤǡǤǤ Robert K. D. Peterson ǡǡ Ǥ Ǧ editor of American Entomologistȋ̷ǤȌǤ ESA has two certification options – Board Certified Entomologist (BCE), and Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). ĞĐŽŵŝŶŐĐĞƌƟĮĞĚĂůůŽǁƐLJŽƵƚŽ͙ vProve to others that you have what it takes ƚŽƐŽůǀĞƉƌĂĐƟĐĂůƉƌŽďůĞŵƐŝŶĞŶƚŽŵŽůŽŐLJ͘ vdĞůůƚŚĞƉƵďůŝĐĂŶĚůĞŐĂůƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶƚŚĂƚLJŽƵĂƌĞ ĐŽŵƉĞƚĞŶƚŝŶƉĞƐƚŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ͘ vŝƐƉůĂLJLJŽƵƌĐƌĞĚĞŶƟĂůĂŶĚďĞĐŽŵƉĞƟƟǀĞŝŶĂ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝnjĞĚŵĂƌŬĞƚ Ǧ ϐ ϐǨ &ŽƌŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶĂŶĚĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞĞůŝŐŝďŝůŝƚLJ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐǀŝƐŝƚ͗ǁǁǁ͘ĞŶƚƐŽĐ͘ŽƌŐͬĐĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶͬ͘ 94 American Entomologist • ʹͲͲͻ
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