Trypomastigotes and potential flea vectors of the endemic rodents and the introduced Rattus rattus in the rainforests of Madagascar

• Published in: Nature Communications
• Main Authors: Laakkonen, Juha, Goodman, Steven, Duchemin, Jean-Bernard, Duplantier, J.M.
• Other Authors: University of California San Diego (UC San Diego), University of California (UC), Field Museum of Natural History Chicago, USA, World Wide Fund (WWF), Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), This research was funded by the Academy of Finland (J.L., project no. 43542), National Geographic Society (S.M.G., project no. 6637-99), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (S.M.G.)., Authorization to conduct research in Madagascar was given by the Direction des ˆ ́ ́Eaux et Forets, Association National pour la Gestion des Aires Protegees, and the Commission Tripartite. We thank Jukka T. Lehtonen for providing material from PNR. J.L. acknowledges the support of Ted J. Case.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2003
• Subjects: Fleas; Invasion; Madagascar; Murinae; Nesomyinae; Rodents; Trypanosoma; [SDV.MP.PAR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Parasitology; [SDV.MP.VIR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Virology; [SDV.EE.SANT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; environment/Health; [SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://pasteur.hal.science/pasteur-03738274; https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023611727357

International audience Transmission of parasites and diseases may be one of the mechanisms for the displacement of native and endemic rodents of Madagascar (subfamily Nesomyinae) by the introduced Rattus rattus (subfamily Murinae). We studied the occurrence of trypomastigotes in rodents at several rainforest sites on the island. Examination of blood smears showed Trypanosoma lewisi-like trypomastigotes in 11.5% of the R. rattus (n = 52). Trypomastigotes differing in morphology from those of T. lewisi were detected in 4% of the endemic rodent Nesomys rufus (n = 23). In contrast to the relatively heavy infections found in R. rattus, only a few trypomastigotes were found in the infected N. rufus. Trypomastigotes were not found in other nesomyine rodents including Eliurus minor (n = 18), E. tanala (n = 15), E. grandidieri (n = 12), E. majori (n = 9) or E. webbi (n = 9). Of potential vectors of trypomastigotes, six endemic species of fleas were identified from the rodents.