Publication: Survey of leptospirosis of small mammals in Thailand
Issued Date
2005-11-01
Resource Type
ISSN
01251562
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-33645027385
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. Vol.36, No.6 (2005), 1516-1522
Suggested Citation
Galayanee Doungchawee, Duangporn Phulsuksombat, Pimjai Naigowit, Yuvaluk Khoaprasert, Noppadon Sangjun, Suraphol Kongtim, Lee Smythe Survey of leptospirosis of small mammals in Thailand. Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. Vol.36, No.6 (2005), 1516-1522. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/16774
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Title
Survey of leptospirosis of small mammals in Thailand
Abstract
During 1999-2000, kidney tissues of approximately 15% of 1,310 rodents trapped from northeastern provinces of Thailand were tested for the presence of leptospires. Our direct immunofluorescent assay (DFA) for detection of leptospires showed 100% sensitivity and 94% specificity with the culture data. Both methods identified R. norvegicus as the highest source of infection. Among isolated Leptospira, 137 were serotyped by cross agglutinin absorption and/or a microscopic agglutination, and gave some variations and similarities at the serovar level to the DFA results. DFA data demonstrated over half of the positive animals were infected with several serovars of Leptospira interrogans. A subsequent DFA study in Bangkok in 2002 revealed leptospiral infection in 33% of 42 rats and shrews. The most common infecting serovars were Autumnalis and Canicola identified in rural and urban animals, respectively. This finding suggests that wild small mammals may act as important sources of pathogenic leptospires and warrant active surveillance to understand the epidemiology of transmission and control of carrier animals.