Natural Mediterranean Spotted Fever Foci, Qingdao, China

Abstract

We sequenced DNA from spleens of rodents captured in rural areas of Qingdao, East China, during 2013–2015. We found 1 Apodemus agrarius mouse infected with Rickettsia conorii, indicating a natural Mediterranean spotted fever foci exists in East China and that the range of R. conorii could be expanding.

Keywords

• Mediterranean spotted fever
• Rickettsia conorii
• bacteria
• zoonoses
• vector-borne infections
• rodents