Detection of potential diseases from wild rats (Maxomys bartelsii [Jentink, 1910]) using morphological evaluation of peripheral blood smears

Zoology Division, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences. Jalan Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km.46, Cibinong, Indonesia 16911

^* Corresponding author: pang001@lipi.go.id

Abstract

Recent studies show 60.3% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses and 71.8% of these number are obtained from wild animals in in-situ habitat. Therefore, high animal diversity in Indonesia is also followed by animal-borne diseases, both zoonoses or not. One of the in-situ habitats of wildlife that needs attention is the biosphere reserves. Here we conducted a research to analyze the health status of Maxomys bartelsii (Jentink, 1910) rats from biosphere reserve in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park. Rats were chosen because they are very potential for zoonoses transmission to human, such as leptospirosis, bubonic plague, and hantavirus. Peripheral blood samples were taken from 5 adult rats that were captured using live traps. Morphological evaluation of blood cells was carried out under a microscope at 1000x magnification. Our results show several erythrocyte abnormalities (hypochromasia, anisocytosis, and acanthocyte) and leukocyte abnormalities (neutrophilia, eosinophilia, and leukocytopenia) are observed in all individuals. These results indicate that most of rats suffered several pathological conditions that need to be explored.