Transovarial Transmission of Co-Existing Orientia tsutsugamushi Genotypes in Laboratory-Reared Leptotrombidium imphalum.

The co-evolution of Orientia tsutsugamushi and its vector/host Leptotrombidium mites is important for this bacterium to survive and exist in its environment. The data in this study demonstrated that O. tsutsugamushi has adapted to take advantage of the parasitic nature of the host's larval stage and thus increase its chance of transmission to a vertebrate host and potentially to other vector mites by increasing its density at the time of transmission.