Leptospira infection and carrier survey on rats from wet market areas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Background & objectives: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic infection that has caused significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. This disease is endemic in Malaysia and as a developing tropical country, leptospirosis is concerning as it threatens Malaysian public health and the country...
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Published: |
Medknow Publications
2024
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Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109018/ https://journals.lww.com/jvbd/fulltext/2024/61010/leptospira_infection_and_carrier_survey_on_rats.5.aspx |
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Institution: | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
Summary: | Background & objectives: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic infection that has caused significant mortality
and morbidity worldwide. This disease is endemic in Malaysia and as a developing tropical country, leptospirosis
is concerning as it threatens Malaysian public health and the country’s economic sectors. However, there is limited
information on leptospirosis in Malaysia, especially regarding leptospiral seroepidemiology among carriers in
Malaysia. Therefore, more epidemiological information on the source of the disease and reservoir are needed for
better disease control and source intervention. The objectives of this study are to gather information on Leptospira
infection and the carrier status of rats captured from selected wet markets of Kuala Lumpur metropolitan city in
Malaysia.
Methods: Live rat trappings were performed in four major wet markets in Kuala Lumpur, namely, Pudu, Chow
Kit, Datuk Keramat, and Petaling Street. Animal samplings were performed for 12 months in 2017, where blood
and kidney samples were collected and tested for anti-leptospiral antibodies via Microscopic Agglutination Test
(MAT) and pathogenic Leptospira screening via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of flaB gene.
Results: MAT showed that 34.7% (n = 50/144) of the captured rats were positive for anti-leptospiral antibody of
which the most prominent serovar was Malaya followed by a local strain, IMR LEP 175. In parallel, 50 rats were
also positive for pathogenic Leptospira DNA.
Interpretation & conclusion: This study showed that there are persistent Leptospira infections among rats in Kuala
Lumpur wet markets and these rats are important reservoir hosts for the bacteria. |
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