Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

American Trypanosomiasis

American Trypanosomiasis

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis III

Pulmonary Tuberculosis III

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infection primarily affecting the lung parenchyma but which can also affect other body parts. TB can be classified based on disease development, presentation, and the affected anatomical site.
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, primarily targeting the lungs and spreading through airborne transmission. Infection begins when aerosolized droplet nuclei, expelled by an individual with active TB, are inhaled by another person. These microscopic particles carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. Upon reaching the alveoli, the bacilli are engulfed by alveolar macrophages. However, due to their specialized lipid-rich cell wall, these pathogens...

Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis

Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis

Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Molecular detection of Rickettsia felis in ticks and fleas from the environment in Hanoi and Phu Tho province, Vietnam.

Journal of infection in developing countries·2026

Same author

Surveillance of vector-borne infections: Dogs as sentinel animals for <i>Orientia</i> and <i>Rickettsia</i> exposure in five regions in Chile.

One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026

Same author

A repetitive nucleotide insertion in the rplV gene is associated with in vitro resistance to azithromycin in Rickettsia typhi.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases·2026

Same author

Comparison of <i>in vitro</i> antibiotic susceptibility testing of <i>R. typhi</i> using plaque assay and quantitative real-time PCR.

Microbiology spectrum·2026

Same author

Acute Undifferentiated Febrile Illness in Hospitalized Adults in Western and Central Provinces, Sri Lanka: High Levels of Coinfections and Clinical Misdiagnoses of Etiology.

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene·2026

Same author

Improving recognition of rickettsial infections in Sri Lanka: The value of combined qPCR and ELISA in acute febrile illness.

International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

Published on: January 27, 2019

Endemic scrub typhus-like illness, Chile.

M Elvira Balcells¹, Ricardo Rabagliati, Patricia García

¹School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

|September 6, 2011

Summary

A case of scrub typhus was identified in Chile, linked to terrestrial leech bites. Molecular analysis revealed an Orientia-like agent, suggesting a new cause of scrub typhus-like illness in the Western Hemisphere.

More Related Videos

Establishment of a Chilli Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) Rearing System for Virulence Screening of Entomopathogenic Fungi

Establishment of a Chilli Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) Rearing System for Virulence Screening of Entomopathogenic Fungi

Published on: July 18, 2025

In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase

In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase

Published on: November 5, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

Published on: January 27, 2019

Establishment of a Chilli Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) Rearing System for Virulence Screening of Entomopathogenic Fungi

Establishment of a Chilli Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) Rearing System for Virulence Screening of Entomopathogenic Fungi

Published on: July 18, 2025

In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase

In Vitro Drug Screening Against All Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma cruzi Using Parasites Expressing β-galactosidase

Published on: November 5, 2021

Area of Science:

Infectious Diseases
Molecular Biology
Epidemiology

Background:

Scrub typhus is a disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, typically found in Asia and the Western Pacific.
The disease is transmitted through the bite of infected chiggers (larval mites).
Terrestrial leech bites are not a commonly recognized vector for scrub typhus.

Observation:

A 54-year-old man presented with scrub typhus symptoms after terrestrial leech bites on Chiloé Island, Chile.
An eschar biopsy yielded a molecular sample.
The sample's 16S rRNA gene sequence showed relation to Orientia tsutsugamushi.

Findings:

Serologic tests confirmed immunoglobulin G conversion against O. tsutsugamushi.
Molecular analysis indicated an Orientia-like agent, closely related but not identical to Asian strains.
This suggests the presence of a novel Orientia species or strain in the Western Hemisphere.

Implications:

This case expands the known geographic distribution of Orientia-like bacteria.
It highlights terrestrial leeches as a potential, previously unrecognized vector for scrub typhus transmission.
Further research is needed to characterize this new agent and its public health implications in the Americas.