Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)
Norway ( Rattus norvegicus) and black rats ( Rattus rattus) are common peridomestic species, yet little is known about wild rat ecology, including their natural diseases. We describe gross and histological lesions in the respiratory tract of a sample of 711 wild urban rats. A subset was examined for...
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crsagepubl:10.1177/0300985815593123 2024-09-15T18:31:59+00:00 Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) Rothenburger, J. L. Himsworth, C. G. Clifford, C. B. Ellis, J. Treuting, P. M. Leighton, F. A. 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0300985815593123 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0300985815593123 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/0300985815593123 en eng SAGE Publications http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license Veterinary Pathology volume 52, issue 6, page 1210-1219 ISSN 0300-9858 1544-2217 journal-article 2015 crsagepubl https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985815593123 2024-08-27T04:24:23Z Norway ( Rattus norvegicus) and black rats ( Rattus rattus) are common peridomestic species, yet little is known about wild rat ecology, including their natural diseases. We describe gross and histological lesions in the respiratory tract of a sample of 711 wild urban rats. A subset was examined for 19 distinct categories of histological lesions in the respiratory tract. Testing for known respiratory pathogens included serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of lung samples. Grossly evident lesions were rare (8/711; 1%). Upper respiratory tract inflammation was present in 93 of 107 (87%) rats and included rhinitis, submucosal and periglandular lymphoplasmacytic tracheitis, and/or tracheal intraluminal necrotic debris and was significantly associated ( P < .05) with the presence of cilia-associated respiratory bacillus (CARB), Mycoplasma pulmonis, and increased body mass (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05–1.14 per 10 g). Within the lungs, peribronchiolar and/or perivascular lymphoplasmacytic cuffs were present in 152 of 199 rats (76%) and were also significantly associated ( P ≤ .02) with CARB, M. pulmonis, and increased body mass (OR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.14–1.27 per 10 g). Rats were frequently coinfected with M. pulmonis and CARB, and lesions associated with these pathogens were histologically indistinguishable. Pneumocystis sp was detected in 48 of 102 (47%) rats using PCR but was not significantly associated with lesions. This description of pathology in the respiratory system of wild rats demonstrates that respiratory disease is common. Although the impact of these lesions on individual and population health remains to be investigated, respiratory disease may be an important contributor to wild rat morbidity and mortality. Article in Journal/Newspaper Rattus rattus SAGE Publications Veterinary Pathology 52 6 1210 1219 |
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English |
description |
Norway ( Rattus norvegicus) and black rats ( Rattus rattus) are common peridomestic species, yet little is known about wild rat ecology, including their natural diseases. We describe gross and histological lesions in the respiratory tract of a sample of 711 wild urban rats. A subset was examined for 19 distinct categories of histological lesions in the respiratory tract. Testing for known respiratory pathogens included serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of lung samples. Grossly evident lesions were rare (8/711; 1%). Upper respiratory tract inflammation was present in 93 of 107 (87%) rats and included rhinitis, submucosal and periglandular lymphoplasmacytic tracheitis, and/or tracheal intraluminal necrotic debris and was significantly associated ( P < .05) with the presence of cilia-associated respiratory bacillus (CARB), Mycoplasma pulmonis, and increased body mass (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05–1.14 per 10 g). Within the lungs, peribronchiolar and/or perivascular lymphoplasmacytic cuffs were present in 152 of 199 rats (76%) and were also significantly associated ( P ≤ .02) with CARB, M. pulmonis, and increased body mass (OR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.14–1.27 per 10 g). Rats were frequently coinfected with M. pulmonis and CARB, and lesions associated with these pathogens were histologically indistinguishable. Pneumocystis sp was detected in 48 of 102 (47%) rats using PCR but was not significantly associated with lesions. This description of pathology in the respiratory system of wild rats demonstrates that respiratory disease is common. Although the impact of these lesions on individual and population health remains to be investigated, respiratory disease may be an important contributor to wild rat morbidity and mortality. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rothenburger, J. L. Himsworth, C. G. Clifford, C. B. Ellis, J. Treuting, P. M. Leighton, F. A. |
spellingShingle |
Rothenburger, J. L. Himsworth, C. G. Clifford, C. B. Ellis, J. Treuting, P. M. Leighton, F. A. Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) |
author_facet |
Rothenburger, J. L. Himsworth, C. G. Clifford, C. B. Ellis, J. Treuting, P. M. Leighton, F. A. |
author_sort |
Rothenburger, J. L. |
title |
Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) |
title_short |
Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) |
title_full |
Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) |
title_fullStr |
Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Respiratory Pathology and Pathogens in Wild Urban Rats ( Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) |
title_sort |
respiratory pathology and pathogens in wild urban rats ( rattus norvegicus and rattus rattus) |
publisher |
SAGE Publications |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0300985815593123 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0300985815593123 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/0300985815593123 |
genre |
Rattus rattus |
genre_facet |
Rattus rattus |
op_source |
Veterinary Pathology volume 52, issue 6, page 1210-1219 ISSN 0300-9858 1544-2217 |
op_rights |
http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985815593123 |
container_title |
Veterinary Pathology |
container_volume |
52 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1210 |
op_container_end_page |
1219 |
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1810473714442043392 |