TY - JOUR AU - Siva Thayaparan AU - Ian Robertson AU - Fairuz Amraan AU - Lela Su'ut AU - Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah PY - 2016/06/29 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Serological Prevalence of Leptospiral Infection in Wildlife in Sarawak, Malaysia JF - Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology JA - BJRST VL - 2 IS - 2 SE - General DO - 10.33736/bjrst.281.2013 UR - https://publisher.unimas.my/ojs/index.php/BJRST/article/view/281 AB - Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic leptospiral bacteria, which are transmitted directly orindirectly from animals to humans or animal to animal. The first phase of this proposed study was carried out todetermine the extent of exposure to leptospirosis in wild mammals surrounded by human settlements aroundwildlife or tourism area (Wind Cave, Fairy Cave, Bako National Park and Matang Wildlife Center). This studyreports an incident of leptospirosis among primates (three captive and two free ranging), rats, bats, squirrels andmongoose around Kuching, Sarawak area, which has been screened for Leptospirosis. Blood samples wereobtained to determine the presence of antibodies through the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) usingeighteen serovars of Leptospira commonly found in Malaysia as antigens. It was observed that four out of thefive monkeys (80%), rats (9/4) (44%), bats (20/5) (20.8%), squirrels 4/4 (100%) and mongoose (1) (100%)reacted against one or more serovars of Leptospira. In this study antibody of five serovars of Leptospirainterrrogans Copenheni, Leptospira interrrogans Lai, Leptospira interrrogans Pomona, Leptospira interrrogansPyrogenes, Lepto 175* were detected. Serovars Copenhegeni, Lai, Pomona and Pyrogenes were consideredpathogenic for different mammals including human beings. No information about serovars lepto 175 and furtherstudies going on. This is providing information on the possible zoonotic importance of mammalian species inmaintaining this disease in Sarawak. The transmission of leptospires in rats reported several incidents andbetween primates, bats, squirrels, mongoose and human is not reported elsewhere but this could create newreservoir and transmission routes and may affect the tourism, conservation effort and public health. ER -