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June 1 - 3 , 1978 - University of Hawaii at Manoa

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STUDIES OF LEPTOSPIROSIS IN NATURAL HOST POPULATIONS:<br />

I. SMALL MAMMALS OF WAIPI'O VALLEY, ISLAND OF HAWAI'I*<br />

P. Quentin Tomich<br />

Research Unit, St<strong>at</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>Hawaii</strong><br />

Department <strong>of</strong> Health, Honokaa<br />

The small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunct<strong>at</strong>us),<br />

Carnivora: Viverridae, and the ro<strong>of</strong> r<strong>at</strong> (R<strong>at</strong>tus r<strong>at</strong>tus) and<br />

Polynesian r<strong>at</strong> (R<strong>at</strong>tus exulans), both Rodentia: Muridae, are<br />

abundant in Waipi'o Valley, island <strong>of</strong> Hawai'i. Two other murid<br />

- -<br />

rodents, the house mouse (Mus musculus) and the Norway r<strong>at</strong><br />

(R<strong>at</strong>tus norvegicus), are<br />

carriers <strong>of</strong> serotypes <strong>of</strong><br />

sporadic or rare in occurrence. As<br />

bacterial leptospires (Leptospira),<br />

which are transmissable to man, this assemblaqe <strong>of</strong> alien mammals<br />

is <strong>of</strong> public health significance and numerous- cases <strong>of</strong> leptospirosis<br />

have been traced to the valley. Popul<strong>at</strong>ion density <strong>of</strong><br />

the mongoose was estim<strong>at</strong>ed <strong>at</strong> 2.3 per acre; for r<strong>at</strong>s it fluctu<strong>at</strong>ed<br />

seasonally from 1 to 11 per acre. The serotypes<br />

- L. icterohemorrhaqiae and L. sejroe were found in the mongoose in<br />

a 40:60 r<strong>at</strong>io. Of 33 house mice tested, L. ballum was isol<strong>at</strong>ed<br />

from 21 and L. icterohemorrhaqiae from 2. One isol<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong><br />

-<br />

L. icterohemorrhagiae was made from d Norway r<strong>at</strong>s examined. For<br />

126 ro<strong>of</strong> r<strong>at</strong>s tested, 68% <strong>of</strong> adults and 26% <strong>of</strong> young were infected;<br />

and for 175 Polynesian r<strong>at</strong>s, 34% <strong>of</strong> adults and 26% <strong>of</strong><br />

young were infected. L. icterohemorrhagiae made up 95% and<br />

-<br />

L. ballum the remaining 5%-<strong>of</strong> infections in the ro<strong>of</strong> r<strong>at</strong>. For<br />

the Polynesian r<strong>at</strong> the r<strong>at</strong>io was 75:25. Free-ranging r<strong>at</strong>s under<br />

observ<strong>at</strong>ion for as long as 8 months acquired or lost infections.<br />

The wet subtropical clim<strong>at</strong>e <strong>of</strong> Waipi'o Valley supports conditions<br />

for transmission <strong>of</strong> leptospirosis even in times <strong>of</strong> drought. No<br />

prominent differences were observed in the infection r<strong>at</strong>es in the<br />

lower valley <strong>at</strong> 30 feet above sea level and 1.7 miles inland <strong>at</strong><br />

120 feet. In the forested w<strong>at</strong>ershed <strong>of</strong> the valley rim <strong>at</strong> 3000<br />

feet, conditions <strong>of</strong> infection m<strong>at</strong>ched closely those on the valley<br />

floor. Tests <strong>of</strong> 152 w<strong>at</strong>er samples from streams, ponds, and taro<br />

paddies resulted in isol<strong>at</strong>ions only <strong>of</strong> saprophytic leptospires.<br />

* Abstract

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