Seventy wild rats were caught from Seoul city, Kyonggi, Kangwon, Honam, and yongnam provinces. All of them were in same species, Rattus norvegicus, except two R rattus from Kyonggi province. Seventy sera from wild rats were studied by immunofluorescent antibody assay for evidence of infection by spotted fever group rickettsia. The antidody prevalance was 37.14%(26/70) for spotted fever group rickettsia. The sero-prevalence rates for spotted fever group rickettsia antibody was the hightest in Kyonggi province with 55.56%(10/18), yongnam province with 50.00%(10/20), Kangwon province with 25.00%(2/8), Seoul city with 18.75%(3/16), and Honam province with 12.50%(1/8). The sero-positive rates difference between sexes were higher in female with 46.15%(12/26) than in male with 31.81%(14/44) for spotted fever group rickettsia. Twenty six of 68 Rattus norvegicus with antibody for spotted fever group rickettsia were in subadult with 50.00%(6/12), young adult with 38.89%(7/18), middle-aged adult with 35.29%(6/17), and old adult with 33.33%(7/21). No antibody was detected from R rattus.
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