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- Title
The Prevalence of Leptospira Serovars in African Giant Pouched Rats (Cricetomys spp.) from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania.
- Authors
Kahangwa, Prisca N.; Kitegile, Amani S.; Machang'u, Robert S.; Mhamphi, Ginethon G.; Katakweba, Abdul S.
- Abstract
Simple Summary: This study has investigated the presence of Leptospira bacteria in urine, kidney, and blood samples from African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys spp.) in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania. The giant rat is an important maintenance host of leptospires; understanding their abundance and distribution in this environment is important to help prevent the transmission of the bacteria from rodents to other animals and humans co-existing in the area. This study demonstrates that Cricetomys spp. in the NCA are infected with the spirochete, and are hence a potential threat to public health. This study calls for an enhanced awareness of the presence of Leptospira spp. in Cricetomys spp. and calls for a one-health approach to protect both humans and animals from the pathogens. Leptospirosis, also known as Weil's disease, is a febrile tropical disease of humans and diverse animals. The maintenance hosts of the infectious pathogen, Leptospira spp., are primarily rodents, while other warm-blooded animals and some reptiles are secondary or transient hosts of this pathogen. African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys spp.) have been identified to be important maintenance hosts of pathogenic leptospires in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This study assessed the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in the African giant pouched rats of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania, where there is close human, domestic animal, and wildlife interaction. A total of 50 African giant pouched rats were sampled between July 2020 and December 2021. Blood sera were screened for specific leptospiral antibodies using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT), while urine and kidney tissues were examined for the pathogen and pathogen-specific genes using cultures and polymerase chain reactions (PCR), respectively. The pathogen detection varied from 0% in cultures to 6% via the MAT and 20% via PCR. The Fisher exact test was applied to compare positive cases detected through the diagnostic tests, and showed a significant difference in the indirect and direct detection of Leptospira serovars via the MAT and PCR. We conclude that pathogenic Leptospira serovar are found in the NCA and recommend that the NCA authority raises awareness of the existence of the Leptospira serovar in giant African pouched rats, and possibly other rodents. The NCA should initiate appropriate management strategies, including the guided disposal of household garbage, which is the major attractant of rodents to residential areas. Where necessary, the NCA should carry out limited rodent control and periodic monitoring of the pathogen carrier (rodent) populations.
- Subjects
TANZANIA; LEPTOSPIRA; KISONGO (African people); TROPICAL medicine; SEROPREVALENCE
- Publication
Zoonotic Diseases (2813-0227), 2024, Vol 4, Issue 1, p37
- ISSN
2813-0227
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/zoonoticdis4010005