Prevalence of IgG antibodies toO. tsutsugamushi. Multivariate analysis confirms that participants who are above 18 years old, receiving household income less than US$ 166.7 (RM500) per month and having close contact with animal pets are 3.6 times (95% CI = 1.817.03,P<0.001), 1.3 times (95% CI = 1.141.64,P= 0.002) and 1.2 occasions (95% CI = 1.051.06,P= 0.006) more likely to have exposure toO. tsutsugamushi, respectively. == Conclusion == The present study indicates that scrub typhus is still an important disease in the aboriginal populace in Malaysia. Consciousness about the disease and education around the preventive measures are important in reducing the risk of acquiring scrub typhus in the population studied. == Author Summary == Scrub typhus has been recognized as a public health problem in the rural areas of Southeast Asia. The aboriginal populace, one of the most impoverished groups in the Malaysia, may be exposed to the bite ofLeptotrombidiummites (vector for scrub typhus) due to their involvement in the agricultural activities, living environment and personal habits. A serosurvey was conducted for seven aboriginal subgroups to determine antibody prevalence toO. tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus and to identify factors associated with scrub typhus. The findings in this study confirmed high antibody prevalence toO. tsutsugamushiin aboriginal subgroups who engaged in agricultural activity. Multivariate analysis showed that individuals who are above 18 years old, B2M receiving household income less than US$ 166.7 (RM500) per month and having close contact with animal pets have higher exposure rates to scrub typhus. Institution of appropriate preventive measures is important in reducing the risk of acquiring scrub typhus in the population studied. == Introduction == Scrub typhus is an acute febrile disease caused byOrientia tsutsugamushi, a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium which is usually transmitted through the bites of infectedLeptotrombidiummites. The disease is distributed throughout Tretinoin the Asia Pacific regions including Malaysia[1][3]. Also known as tsutsugamushi disease, the disease is usually characterized by focal or disseminated vasculitis and perivasculitis, which may involve the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, and central nervous system and cause serious complications including pneumonia, myocarditis, meningoencephalitis, acute renal failure, and gastrointestinal bleeding[3][5]. The disease has been reported as the most frequent contamination among febrile hospitalized patients in rural areas of Malaysia Tretinoin since early 1970s[6][8], with antibody prevalence toO. tsutsugamushivaried widely from as low as 0.8% in East Malaysia[9]to as high as 73% in West Malaysia[6]. A recent serosurvey of febrile patients in rural areas of Malaysia showed a prevalence of 24.9% toO. tsutsugamushi[2]. According to Khor and Zalilah[10], the aborigines or orang Asli (translated as initial peoples) are the indigenous inhabitants of West Malaysia, who constitute a minority group comprises only 0.6% of the total population of Malaysia. A total of 132,486 individuals have been recorded in a recent census[11]. They are officially classified into three main ethno-linguistic groups namely, the Senoi, Proto Malays or Aboriginal Malays and the Negritos, each consisting of six dialectic subgroups. The common occupations of the people are agricultural, fishery, hunting and collecting forest produce. Certain aboriginal subgroups such as Orang Laut, Orang Seletar and Mah Meri live close to the coast and are mainly fishermen. The Temuan, Jakun and Semai people are involved in agricultural activities for instance, in rubber, oil palm or cocoa plantations. The Temiar and Semelai live within forested areas and are engaged in rice cultivation, hunting and gathering. A minority of aboriginal populace live in urban areas and Tretinoin are engaged in both waged and salaried jobs[12]. The aboriginal populace has been identified as one of the most impoverished groups in the Malaysia, based on reports of various five-year Malaysia development plans[10]. Due.
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