Suncus as a Potential Reservoir of Leptospirosis: The Blaming of the Shrew

Abstract

Although the isolation of leptospirae from the musk shrew Suncus has not previously been reported, the agent was recovered with no great difficulty from two Suncus murinus in Taiwan and from two Suncus luzoniensis in the Philippines. The Taiwan isolates were both of the javanica serotype while the Philippine isolates were grippotyphosa and bataviae. Because the shrew is a commensal creature living in close proximity to man, his pets, his livestock, and his food, it is suggested that this little insectivore may play a hitherto unsuspected role in the transmission of urban as well as rural leptospirosis in Asia and the Pacific islands.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0719438

Entities

People

  • Cheng‐Chia Tsai
  • E. R. Carlos
  • G. A. Kueczynski
  • W. D. Kundin

Organizations

  • Naval Medical Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agglutination
  • Animals
  • Antibodies
  • Asia
  • Biomedical Research
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Health
  • Health Services
  • Infection
  • Islands
  • Leptospirosis
  • Livestock
  • Mites
  • Naval Shore Facilities
  • Navy
  • Philippines
  • Public Health

Readers

  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • Neurodegenerative Parkinson's Disease and Rickettsial Disease handbook, including the data level of dopamine, BC, neurons, and PD.
  • Virology (or Medical Virology).