Serovar diversity of Leptospira sp. infecting wild rodents in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Leptopsirosis is a zoonotic disease with global distribution and rodents, in particular rats, have been identified as the main reservoir host. A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibodies against Leptospira sp. in wild rodents caught in selected areas of Sibu, Sarikei and Kapit in Sarawak during the period of July 2011 to May 2014. In total, 241 sera samples were collected from rodents caught from these three administrative divisions in Sarawak. Ninety-eight rodents (40.7%) were positive with antibody titre >1:50 by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) against 13 out of 20 common local leptospiral serovars tested. Sera of rodents caught in Sibu, Kapit and Sarikei divisions were positive at 43.9%, 37.5% and 36.4%, respectively. The top five serovars detected were: Autumnalis (25.5%), Tarassovi (23.5%), Bataviae (15.3%), Hebdomadis (8.2%) and Celledoni (7.2%). The main species of rodent positive for antibodies against Leptopsira sp. were Sundamys muelleri (50.0%), Rattus rattus (37.5%), Callociurus notatus (35.6%) and Rattus exulans (32.6%). This study indicates that leptospiral antibodies are prevalent amongst wild rodents in central Sarawak, which could be translated as high leptospiral carriage. The close interaction that exists between the local community and the environment could potentially propagate the transmission of Leptospira sp. to human in these areas. This study also provided essential information about local circulating Leptospira serovars, which could be useful for eventual prevention measures in disease transmission.

Seroepidemiological study of leptospirosis among the communities living in periurban areas of Sarawak, Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is endemic to tropical regions of the world and is re-emerging as a new danger to public health in Malaysia. the purpose of this particular study was to determine the common leptospiral serovars present in human communities living around wildlife reserves/disturbed forest habitats. the objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of leptospirosis and finding infecting serovars in villages surrounded habitats where wildlife lives in Sarawak, Malaysia. METHODS: A cross-sectional serological survey of 198 humans was conducted in four villages around Kuching, Sarawak between January 2011 and March 2012. RESULTS: A seroprevalence of 35.9% (95%cI 29.2-43.0) to the MAt was detected in the tested humans. Antibodies to serovar Lepto 175 Sarawak were most commonly detected (31.3%; 95%cI 24.9-38.3) and were detected in individuals at all four locations. the presence of skin wounds (Or 3.1), farm animals (Or 2.5) and rats (Or 11.2) were all significantly associated with seropositivity in a multivariable logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: the results of the current study are important as wildlife may act as reservoirs of leptospires for humans. Health authorities should expand disease control measures to minimise the spill-over from wildlife to humans visiting, living or working in the sampled locations. the pathogenic status of serovar Lepto 175 Sarawak also requires further investigation.

Leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease in Malaysia.

Leptospirosis is an endemic disease in Malaysia and recently has received increasing attention mainly due to several recent incidents that have resulted in human mortality which have alarmed health professionals in Malaysia. The increasing incidence of leptospirosis in forested regions is associated with the bacteria infecting small wild mammals other than rats. Infection in wildlife could result in the introduction of new serovars to humans and domesticated animals. More research on leptospirosis and the screening of wildlife and humans near wildlife habitats is required to have a better understanding of the involvement of wildlife in the disease.