Wild rodents and insectivores as carriers of pathogenic Leptospira and Toxoplasma gondii in The Netherlands

Small mammals such as rodents can to carry zoonotic pathogens. Currently, there is impaired knowledge on zoonotic pathogens in rodents and insectivores in the Netherlands. This limits opportunities for preventive measures and complicates risk‐assessments for zoonotic transmission to humans. Leptospi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Veterinary medicine and science Vol. 6; no. 3; pp. 623 - 630
Main Authors:	Krijger, Inge M., Ahmed, Ahmed A. A., Goris, Maria G. A., Cornelissen, Jan B. W. J., Groot Koerkamp, Peter W. G., Meerburg, Bastiaan G.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-08-2020 John Wiley and Sons Inc Wiley
Subjects:	Animals Contamination Deoxyribonucleic acid Disease Reservoirs - veterinary DNA Environmental conditions Eulipotyphla Farms Female Genetic testing Humans Infections Insectivores Leptospira Leptospira - isolation & purification Leptospirosis Leptospirosis - epidemiology Leptospirosis - microbiology Leptospirosis - veterinary Male mice Netherlands - epidemiology Original Parasites Pathogens pathogen–host relationship rats reservoir Rodentia Rodents Small mammals Toxoplasma - isolation & purification Toxoplasma gondii Toxoplasmosis, Animal - epidemiology Toxoplasmosis, Animal - parasitology Urine Wildlife Zoonoses Zoonoses - epidemiology Zoonoses - microbiology Zoonoses - parasitology Netherlands leptospirosis zoonoses rats reservoir mice pathogen-host relationship
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Summary:	Small mammals such as rodents can to carry zoonotic pathogens. Currently, there is impaired knowledge on zoonotic pathogens in rodents and insectivores in the Netherlands. This limits opportunities for preventive measures and complicates risk‐assessments for zoonotic transmission to humans. Leptospira spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are present on a list of prioritized emerging pathogens in the Netherlands and were therefore the focus of this study. Both pathogens have the ability to survive under moist environmental conditions. In total, a group of 379 small mammals (rodents & insectivores) were tested on pathogenic Leptospira spp., and 312 on T. gondii. Rodents and insectivores were trapped at various sites, but mostly on pig and dairy farms throughout the country. Over five percent of the animals (5.3%, n = 379) tested positive for Leptospira DNA, and five of the animals (1.6%, n = 312) tested were positive for T. gondii DNA. The animals positive for T.gondii were all brown rats and the ones for Leptospira spp. were various species. Our results show that insectivores and rodents might be used as an indicator for the environmental contamination and/or the contamination in wildlife for Leptospira spp. Over five percent of the rodents and insectivores (5.3%, n = 379) tested positive for Leptospira DNA and five of the animals (n = 312) tested were positive for Toxoplasma gondii DNA. Leptospira spp. and T. gondii are present in the Dutch population of wild small mammals, indicating the importance of the studies for these infectious agents. Both rodent ánd insectivore species might be considered as potential sources for human leptospirosis in The Netherlands and as an indicator for the environmental contamination and the contamination in, and of wildlife.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	2053-1095 2053-1095
DOI:	10.1002/vms3.255