Molecular Survey of Pathogenic Leptospira in Reservoir Household Rats ( Rattus rattus ) and Community Risk Perception in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Ni
Fouad Mohammed, Yusuf Yakubu, Bashir Saidu, Mahmud Abdullahi Saulawa, Bashiru Garba, Hajara Abdullahi SaulawaIntroduction
Leptospirosis is an underrecognized zoonosis maintained by a coevolved host–pathogen relationship in which rodents serve as asymptomatic reservoir hosts, with household rats acting as important reservoirs for pathogenic Leptospira . Evidence on circulating pathogenic strains and community risk perception in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria, remains limited, warranting an integrated One Health investigation. This study aimed to detect pathogenic Leptospira interrogans in household rats in the Sokoto Metropolis and examine the associations between rat infection status, household demographic and environmental factors, and community awareness of leptospirosis.
Methods
From 212 households across five local government areas (Dange‐Shuni, Kware, Sokoto North/South, and Wamakko), 212 Rattus rattus were screened by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and positive results were confirmed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) using kidney samples targeting lipL32. Participants ( n = 212) provided demographic information and completed knowledge/perception questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictors of infection ( p < 0.05).
Results
ELISA detected 70/212 (33%) positive samples, and qPCR confirmed pathogenic Leptospira spp. in 33% (70/212), with complete concordance between ELISA and qPCR results. Households with 6–10 members showed significantly higher odds of PCR‐positive rats than households with 1–5 members (COR = 3.12, 95% CI: 1.34–7.24, p = 0.008) an association that persisted after adjustment (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.24–9.01, p = 0.017). Ownership of 6–10 livestock animals, relative to 1–5 animals, was similarly associated with higher odds of positivity in bivariate analysis (COR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.10–4.37, p = 0.026), though this association did not remain significant after adjustment for other factors. The Kware district conferred the highest adjusted risk (AOR = 7.72, 95% CI: 1.33–14.87, p = 0.023). Respondents from households with PCR‐positive rats were more likely to report that they did not know which diseases are associated with rodents. ( χ 2 = 13.02, p = 0.043), despite 98%–100% rodent sightings and 60%–68% threat recognition; leptospirosis awareness was low (7%–11%). Pathogenic L. interrogans circulates at high rates in Sokoto’s household rats, driven by overcrowding, livestock proximity, and Kware’s flood‐prone ecology. Knowledge deficits amplify transmission despite the general awareness of rodents.
Conclusion
Findings advocate targeted health intervention: rodent control in dense/livestock households, focused trapping, and education emphasizing leptospirosis alongside Lassa fever. Enhanced surveillance can curb outbreaks in northern Nigeria.