Feral aspects of Rickettsial infections in Kenya

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• Main Authors: Heisch, R.B., Grainger, W.E., Harvey, A.E.C., Lister, Gill
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1962
• Subjects: Paper; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: http://trstmh.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/56/4/272; https://doi.org/10.1016/0035-9203(62)90048-2

<l type="tab"> 1. 1) Complement-fixing antibodies to R. conori and R. burneti were present in sera from Rattus rattus, Arvicanthis niloticus, Mastomys natalensis, Otomys angoniensis, Lemniscomys striatus and Aethomys kaiseri , often in high titre (up to 1 in 1600); also in sera from Lophuromys flavopunctatus, Rhabdomys pumilio, Tatera robusta, Dasymys incomtus, Xerus rutilus and Hystrix galeala in lower titres (1 in 10 to 1 in 100). R. conori was isolated from the first six species of rodents and from Lophuromys and Rhabdomys sp., and R. burneti from Lemniscomys striatus . 2. 2) Other animals tested included baboons, mongooses ( Herpestes and Bdeogale sp.), an ichneumon, genet and serval cats ( Genetta and Leptailurus sp.), a palm civet ( Nandinia sp.), a leopard ( Panthera sp.) and a hyaena ( Crocuta sp.). Sera from all species contained rickettsial antibodies usually in low titres. More sera were positive for R. burneti than for R. conori . Three baboons gave titres of 1 in 100 for R. burneti and the palm civet reacted at 1 in 160. 3. 3) R. conori and R. burneti were isolated from Haemaphysalis leachii and Rhipicephalus simus. R. conori was also recovered from Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi , and Hyalomma albiparmatum , and R. burneti from Rhipicephalus sanguineus. R. conori was never isolated from R. sanguineus or R. pulchellus . 4. 4) Complement-fixing antibodies to R. mooseri were present in sera from urban Rattus in titres up to 1 in 800. Wild rodents were seldom involved, though sera from a few Arvicanthis, Mastomys, Otomys, Lophuromys and Tatera sp. reacted at 1 in 10. In Nairobi 10 per cent. of the rats ( Rattus ) showed evidence of having been infected with R. mooseri , as compared with only 1 per cent. of the wild rodents ( Arvicanthis, Mastomys and Otomys sp.) caught there. Murine antibodies were mostly confined to urban Rattus rural Rattus were almost invariably negative. Both R. conori and R. mooseri were isolated from the brains of Rattus caught in Nairobi. 5. 5) Batches of ...