A Survey of Bacterial and Parasitic Infections of Rats Caught in the Veterinary Research Institute (vri), Ipoh

A postmortem survey on ten rats (Rattus spp.) caught in the Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) was done to evaluate the parasite, viral and bacterial status. The rats were trapped in the laboratory animal facilities in VRI. The results indicated that seven rats harboured mites (Demodex sp.) from skin samples. Parasite eggs such as strongyle and Strongyloides sp. were also recovered from the intestines of four rats. Bacterial species isolated from the organs include Mycoplasma arthritidis, Corynebacterium sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp. Serological test detected the presence of antibody against Leptospira canicola, Leptospira celledoni and Leptospira pyrogenes. Many of these organisms are zoonotic especially Leptospirosis which can cause severe disease in humans. No pathogenic viruses were recovered from the rats. Control and eradication of pests like rats is essential to safeguard the health of humans. INTRODUCTION Rats can spread over 35 diseases to humans directly, through handling of rodents, through contact with rodent faeces, urine, or saliva, or through rodent bites or indirectly, through ticks, mites or fl eas that have fed on an infected rodent (http://www.cdc.gov/ rodents/index.html). Likewise, rodents can also spread diseases to animals in farms, homes and the outdoors. Wild rats can carry many different “zoonotic” pathogens, e.g. Leptospira sp. and Toxoplasma gondii and may transfer these across the species barrier to humans (The Merck Veterinary Manual, 2005). However, information on the current status on rodent-borne diseases in Malaysia is lacking. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. HPS was fi rst recognized in 1993 and has A SURVEY OF BACTERIAL AND PARASITIC INFECTIONS OF RATS CAUGHT IN THE VETERINARY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (VRI), IPOH PREMAALATHA B., NURULAINI R., ZAWIDA Z., NORAKMAR I., IMELDA LYNN V., ADNAN M., ZAINI C.M., JAMNAH O., TAN L.J., ZAINAB Z., KHOO.L.L., CHANDRAWATHANI P. AND RAMLAN M. Veterinary Research Institute, 59 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 31400, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia Corresponding author: [email protected] MALAYSIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY RESEARCH VOLUME 1 NO. 1 JULY 2010 46 since been identifi ed throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection.