Publikationsdatenbank

Is nature a better place than urban life?
health status of native bornean rodents and treeshrews compared with invasive rats (2019)

Art

Poster

Autoren

Ortega Pérez, P

Wells, Konstans

Mühldorfer, K. (WE 15)

Lüschow, D. (WE 15)

Lakim, B. M.

Krone, Oliver

Jäkel, Thomas

Wibbelt, G.

Kongress

European Society of Veterinary Pathology (ESVP) & European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP) Annual Meeting 2018

Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 05. – 08.09.2018

Quelle

Journal of comparative pathology

Bandzählung: 166

Seiten: 118

ISSN: 0021-9975

Verweise

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2018.10.060

Kontakt

Nutztierklinik: Abteilung Geflügel

Königsweg 63
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62676
gefluegelkrankheiten@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Introduction: Rodent species are well-known reservoirs for pathogens, some of which have zoonotic potential. The health status of rodent populations in tropical forests, however, is neglected and it is often unclear how forest degradation results in an increased infection of native wildlife with pathogens also found in invasive species. In this research, we investigated the health status based on subclinical histopathological lesions and pathogen detection in native and invasive small mammals from northern Borneo.

Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 331 individuals from native small mammal species (Sciuridae, Muridae, Tupaiidae) and from the invasive Rattus rattus group were collected along a forest–urban landscape gradient in northern Borneo. The organs from these animals were investigated by histopathology (HE- and Warthin Starry-stained sections), TEM and PCR analysis.

Results: The most common histopathological findings in native species were parasitic infections, mostly helminths in the digestive system (liver and gastrointestinal tract) as well as four different Sarcocystis spp. in the striated muscles. In contrast, in invasive rats, parasitic pneumonia was the most relevant pathological change. The prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. was similar in native and invasive species.

Conclusions: At the time of abstract submission, data analysis was still ongoing; however, trends point to a more compromised health status of invasive rats (Rattus rattus), although being well adapted to urban habitats, as compared with native species. Yet, the high prevalence of parasites and pathological lesions was equally distributed between native and invasive species, irrespective of their habitat.