Leptospira spp. in the Oral Cavity of Urban Brown Rats ( Rattus norvegicus) from Vancouver, Canada-Implications for Rat-Rat and Rat-Human Transmission

J Wildl Dis. 2018 Jul;54(3):635-637. doi: 10.7589/2017-08-194. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

Abstract

We tested the urine and saliva of 137 wild rats ( Rattus norvegicus) from Vancouver, Canada, for the presence of Leptospira spp. Only one saliva sample was found positive and two were suspect, all from urine-positive rats ( n=81), indicating that active shedding of leptospires in saliva is unlikely to occur.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • British Columbia / epidemiology
  • Cities
  • Humans
  • Leptospira / isolation & purification*
  • Leptospirosis / epidemiology
  • Leptospirosis / microbiology
  • Leptospirosis / veterinary*
  • Mouth / microbiology*
  • Rats
  • Rodent Diseases / epidemiology
  • Rodent Diseases / microbiology*
  • Zoonoses