Babesia microti Prevalence in Humans, Rodents, and Ticks in Southern Zhejiang (2020–2023)

Packed with results from 4,728 samples collected from local residents, blood donors, rodents, and ticks across seven counties in southern Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2023. It reports infection rates of Babesia microti, identifies 17 rodent species and 4 tick species, and includes phylogenetic analyses classifying sequences as the Kobe type. The study was authored by Jia-Qi Zhang.

Use Cases

• Analyze B. microti infection rates across sample types (local residents, rodents, ticks) to compare prevalence in humans versus reservoir hosts.
• Identify high-risk rodent species by examining infection data linked to the 17 identified species, such as Niviventer lotipes.
• Map the geographic distribution of positive samples across the seven surveyed counties to assess spatial risk patterns.
• Investigate asymptomatic human carrier profiles using data on outdoor activity history and animal contact for the six infected individuals.
• Study vector competence by correlating tick species identification (e.g., Ixodes granulatus, Rhipicephalus microplus) with positive detection results.

Strengths

• Includes 4,728 total samples with breakdowns by source: 2,475 local residents, 358 blood donors, 1,615 rodents, and 280 ticks.
• Provides specific infection rates: 0.24% in local residents, 4.40% in rodents, and 3.21% in ticks.
• Identifies 17 rodent species and 4 tick species, with phylogenetic analysis confirming all sequences as the Kobe type.
• Covers a defined time range (May 2020 to October 2023) and geographic scope (seven counties in southern Zhejiang Province).

Limitations

• The dataset is small at 15.3 KB, indicating limited scope, likely a summary table rather than raw sample-level data.
• Sample counts for some groups are low (e.g., only 6 positive human cases), limiting statistical power for subgroup analyses.
• Data is presented in a DOCX document, which may require extraction and structuring for computational analysis.

Provenance

Source

Jia-Qi Zhang via figshare.

Collection Method

Blood samples from residents and donors, and blood/liver tissues from rodents and ticks were collected; DNA was extracted for B. microti detection and species identification.

Time Range

May 2020 to October 2023.

Freshness

Data covers 2020–2023; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Seven counties in southern Zhejiang Province, China.