Emerging Disease: Bacterium-Carrying Chiggers Found in North Carolina
Researchers at North Carolina State University and UNC Greensboro have discovered a bacterium that causes scrub typhus, a disease not previously seen in the United States, in chiggers found in North Carolina. While scrub typhus has not yet been detected in animals or humans in the state, the disease can be fatal if left untreated. The origin and prevalence of the bacterium in North Carolina are still unknown, and further research is needed to determine if the infected chiggers will cause disease. Researchers are resampling chiggers in recreational park sites to gather more information.
