Prevalence of Leptospira spp. in an urban rat population in Orange County, California

This study, conducted by researchers from Western University of Health Sciences and UC Cooperative Extension, investigates the presence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in urban rats (Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus) in Orange County, California. Leptospirosis, a significant zoonotic disease causing over one million cases and 60,000 deaths annually, is transmitted through rat urine and persists in water or soil, infecting humans via skin or mucous membranes. Researchers necropsied 50 rats collected between 2021 and 2022, extracting kidney tissues for DNA analysis using advanced PCR techniques to detect Leptospira DNA. Preliminary results validated the effectiveness of their methodology and highlighted opportunities to refine primer sensitivity. Future work will include species identification through Sanger sequencing of the glmU gene to improve understanding of leptospirosis epidemiology in urban environments. The findings aim to inform public health strategies to mitigate leptospirosis risks in urban areas.