chigger mite
Larval mites, known as “chiggers,” from the family Trombiculidae are vectors of the bacteria that causes scrub typhus. The infection has been implicated as a common cause of acute encephalitis syndrome in India, where public health professionals are looking to better understand the variety of mite species present on rodents and their rates of infection. (Photo credit: Hansell F. Cross, Georgia State University, Bugwood.org)