An investigation of pathogen infections in small mammals in Ningbo,Zhejiang Province,China
Objective To investigate common pathogen infections in small mammals in Ningbo,Zhejiang Province,China,so as to provide a basis for the prevention and control of rodent-borne diseases.Methods From 2020 to 2022,small mammals were captured using the night cage-trapping method in Zhenhai District,Ninghai County,Cixi and Yuyao cities of Ningbo.The small mammals were identified by morphological method,and their livers,spleens,lungs,and kidneys samples were collected.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(qPCR)or reverse transcription-qPCR(RT-qPCR)was used to detect four pathogens:Hantavirus,Dabie bandavirus(i.e.,Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus),Leptospira,and Orientia tsutsugamushi.The differences in pathogen positive rates in the small mammals between different species,sexes,habitats,districts(counties,cities),and years were compared using the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test.Results A total of 668 small mammals were captured,of which Rattus norvegicus(24.70%)and Niviventer confucianus(23.65%)were dominant species.The overall positive rate of the four pathogens in the small mammals was 9.43%,of which Hantavirus(all Seoul virus)and Leptospira accounted for 2.84%and 6.89%,respectively.Coinfections with two viruses were found,with a coinfection rate of 0.30%.Neither Dabie bandavirus nor O.tsutsugamushi was detected.There were significant differences in the overall positive rate of pathogens in the small mammals between different species and between different habitats(all P<0.001),but not between different sexes,different years,and different districts(counties,cities)(all P>0.05).Among various small mammal species,the positive rate of Hantavirus was the highest in Mus musculus and in R.norvegicus(10.00%and 8.48%,respectively);the positive rate of Leptospira was the highest in R.losea(15.38%).In different habitats,the positive rate of Hantavirus in small mammals was the highest in key industries(10.84%);the positive rate of Leptospira was the highest in urban residential areas(11.76%).In different districts(counties,cities),the positive rate of Hantavirus in small mammals was the highest in Cixi(9.90%).The positive rates of Leptospira in small mammals in Yuyao and Ninghai were higher,at 10.00%and 9.12%,respectively.Conclusions Infections with pathogens such as Hantavirus and Leptospira in small mammals are found in Ningbo,which pose a potential threat to the health of the local population.Targeted prevention and control measures should be taken to reduce the risk of human infections.
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