title: Diversity ofLeptospiraspp. in Rats and Environment from Urban Areas of Sarawak, Malaysia.
abstract: Various prevalence studies onLeptospirain animals and humans, as well as environmental samples, had been conducted worldwide, including Malaysia. However, limited studies have been documented on the presence of pathogenic, intermediate, and saprophyticLeptospirain selected animals and environments. This study was therefore conducted to detectLeptospiraspp. in rats, soil, and water from urban areas of Sarawak using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. A total of 107 rats, 292 soil samples, and 324 water samples were collected from April 2014 to February 2015. PathogenicLeptospirawas present in 5.6% (6/107) of rats, 11.6% (34/292) of soil samples, and 1.9% (6/324) of water samples. IntermediateLeptospirawas present in 2.7% (8/292) of soil samples and 1.9% (6/324) of water samples. SaprophyticLeptospirawas present in 10.3% (11/107) of rats, 1.4% (4/292) of soil samples, and 0.3% (1/324) of water samples. From this study, 76Leptospiraspp. were isolated. Based on DNA sequencing, the dominantLeptospiraspp. circulating in urban areas of Sarawak are pathogenicLeptospira noguchii, intermediateLeptospira wolffiiserovar Khorat, and saprophyticLeptospira meyeri, respectively. Overall, this study provided important surveillance data on the prevalence ofLeptospiraspp. from rats and the environment, with dominant local serovars in urban areas of Sarawak.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chai Fung
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Pui
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Lesley Maurice
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5653-0463
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bilung
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kasing
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Apun
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Lela
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su'ut