Diversity of Mites in Captured Rats and the Role of Rickettsiosis in Semarang City and Demak Regency

Abstract

Ricketssiosis is transmitted by rats either by direct contact or ectoparasite bites. Ectoparasites are parasitic vectors of rickettsia disease transmission that live on the surface of the body or on the outside of the host. Ectoparasites that are often found in mice are mites. This study aims to determine the ecological index of mite ectoparasites in rats caught in Semarang City and Demak Regency in June - August 2023. This research is descriptive observational with the method used rodent survey with accidental sampling technique. The number of rats caught was 218 with the species Rattus Norvegicus, Rattus Norvegicus javanus, Rattus Tanezumi, Rattus Argentiventer, Suncus Murinus, Mus Musculus. The results of mite species found were Laelaps nutalli, Laelaps turkestanicus, Eulaelaps stabularis, Echinolaelaps echidninus, Dermanyssus gallinae, Ornithonyssus bacoti with a total of 2,116 individuals. The average diversity index values were 1.00 (Semarang) and 0.78 (Demak), categorized as medium and high. The number of rats caught and the abundance of mites affect the health of the environment, especially humans. The abundance of Laelaps nutalli mites needs to be watched out for as one that has the potential to transmit murine typhus.