Detection of Leptospira in Rats Trapped from Households in Phraroj Village, Muang Sam Sip District, Ubon Ratchathani Province Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique
Jaruwan Wongbutdee MSc*, Jutharat Jittimanee PhD*
Affiliation : * College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Background : Leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira, has been a health problem in Thailand for several
years. Rats are a major reservoir host for Leptospira, and the people who are usually in contact with environments
contaminated with rats’ urine are at risk of infection. The prevalence rate of Leptospira infection in rats may result in the
spread of leptospirosis in humans.
Objective : This study aimed to determine the prevalence rate of Leptospira infection in a total of 28 rats and develop a spatial
database for leptospirosis surveillance in Phraroj village in Muang Sam Sip District, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
Material and Method: The positions of the households and the rat-trapping area were tagged by using of a Global
Positioning System (GPS). DNA samples were isolated from rats’ kidneys. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique
was used for the detection of 16s rRNA and LipL32 genes specific to genus and pathogenic Leptospira respectively. All of the
data were used to develop a geo-data base by the connection of spatial data and attributed data to be used for query and
retrieval.
Results : A map of the positions of the households and the rat-trapping area in Phraroj village was created. No rats were found
to be infected in the Leptospira survey.
Conclusion : There was no trapped rat infected with Leptospira in Phraroj village. This result may involve unreported
leptospirosis in patients in this village. The Leptospira survey in rats and the geo-database will be used as a primary resource
to support and make decisions about surveillance, prevention, and control of leptospirosis.
Keywords : Leptospirosis, Leptospira, 16s rRNA, LipL32, Polymerase chain reaction, Geo-database, GPS
