Sains Malaysiana 50(1)(2021): 35-43

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5001-04

 

Pengesanan dan Pencirian Leptospira spp. pada Haiwan Liar dan Persekitaran di Pusat Pemuliharaan ex situ

(Detection and Characterization of Leptospira spp. in Wildlife and the Environment at the ex situ Conservation Centre)

 

NADIA AQILLA SHAMSUSAH1, BADRUL MUNIR MD ZAIN2, SABAPATHY DHARMALINGAM3, FAIRUZ AMRAN4 & HANI-KARTINI AGUSTAR1*

 

1Pusat Sains Bumi dan Alam Sekitar, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

2Pusat Integratif Biologi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

3Yayasan Pulau Orang Utan Bukit Merah, 34400 Semanggol, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

 

4Jabatan Bakteriologi, Institut Penyelidikan Perubatan, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

 

Received: 18 July 2019/Accepted: 24 June 2020

 

ABSTRAK

Leptospirosis ialah penyakit berjangkit yang disebabkan oleh bakteria Leptospira yang boleh menjangkiti manusia dan haiwan. Kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengenal pasti jangkitan leptospirosis yang berkitar antara orang utan, roden dan persekitaran di Pulau Orang Utan Bukit Merah (BMOUI) dan Zoo Taiping, Perak. Sampel haiwan serta persekitaran yang diperoleh dari kedua-dua kawasan kajian diinokulasi dalam media Ellinghausen-Mccullough-Johnson-Harris (EMJH) untuk pengkulturanLeptospira. Pengesanan dan pencirian mudah spesies Leptospira melalui PCR dilakukan ke atas kultur serta sampel haiwan yang positif. Pencirian spesies yang lebih mendalam sehingga peringkat serovar menggunakan penjenisan jujukan multi-lokus (MLST) hanya dilakukan ke atas kultur patogenik sahaja. Sebanyak 8/14 kultur daripada sampel persekitaran BMOUI merupakan spesies saprofit (L. yanagawae, L. meyeri dan L. idonii), 4/14 adalah spesies perantaraan (L. wolffii) dan 2/14 (dilabel sebagai ‘Soil2’ dan ‘BJ3 soil’) adalah spesies patogenik. Hasil MLST menunjukkan kultur ‘Soil2’ telah dikenal pasti sebagai L. interrogans serovar Lai Langkawi dengan nilai penjenisan jujukan, ST: 236. ‘BJ3 soil’ pula telah diberikan profil alel baharu yang menjana nilai ST baharu iaitu 262 di bawah spesies L. kmetyi. Kesemua 15/15 kultur daripada sampel persekitaran Zoo Taiping merupakan spesies saprofit (L. yanagawae dan L. meyeri). Leptospira yang dikesan secara langsung dalam sampel orang utan dan tikus dari BMOUI berkait rapat dengan spesies L. wolffii. Sampel orang utan dari Zoo Taiping pula berkait rapat dengan spesies L. kmetyi dan L. wolffii. Kajian ini berjaya membuktikan bahawa berlakunya transmisi leptospirosis di BMOUI dan Zoo Taiping yang sememangnya amat penting dalam menambahbaik strategi pencegahan penyakit ini sekaligus membantu dalam usaha pemuliharaan orang utan.

 

Kata kunci: Leptospira; leptospirosis; orang utan; pencirian; roden

 

ABSTRACT

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by Leptospira that infects human and animals. This study was carried out to determine the presence of Leptospira that circulates among orang utans, rodents, and environment in Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island (BMOUI) and Taiping Zoo, Perak. Animal and environmental samples obtained from both study sites were inoculated into Ellinghausen-Mccullough-Johnson-Harris (EMJH) media for leptospiral culturing. Simple detection and characterization of leptospiral species through PCR were conducted on positive cultures and animal samples. Further characterization of leptospiral species up to serovar level via multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was conducted on pathogenic cultures only.  8/14 isolates from BMOUI environmental samples were known as saprophytic species (L. yanagawae, L. meyeri and L. idonii), 4/14 as intermediate species (L. wolffii) and 2/14 (labelled as ‘Soil2’ and ‘BJ3 soil’) as pathogenic leptospires. Through MLST, ‘Soil2’ was characterized as L. interrogans serovar Lai Langkawi with sequence typing, ST number: 236. Isolate ‘BJ3 soil’ was given a new set of allelic profiles and ST number of 262 (L. kmetyi). 15/15 environmental cultures from Taiping Zoo were identified as L. yanagawae and L. meyeri. Leptospira in orang utan and rodent samples from BMOUI have shown to be closely related to L. wolffii. Strains detected in orang utan samples from Taiping Zoo were closely related to L. kmetyi and L. wolffii. This study provides evidence on leptospirosis transmission in both locations which can be important for improving strategies in prevention of the disease thus helping in conservation of the orang utans.

 

Keywords: Characterization; Leptospira; leptospirosis; orang utans; rodents

 

REFERENCES

Ahmed, A., Thaipadungpanit, J., Boonsilp, S., Wuthiekanun, V., Nalam, K., Spratt, B.G., Aaensen, D.M., Smythe, L.D., Ahmed, N., Feil, E.J., Hartskeerl, R.A. & Peacock, S.J. 2011. Comparison of two multilocus sequence based genotyping schemes for Leptospira species. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 5(11): e1374.

Ahmed, N., Manjulata Devi, S., De los Á Valverde, M., Vijayachari, P., Machang’u, R.S., Ellis, W.A. & Hartskeerl, R.A. 2006. Multilocus sequence typing method for identification and genotypic classification of pathogenic Leptospira species. Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 5(1): 28.

Arif, M.T. 2013. Changing nature of health crisis from infectious diseases and responses over three decades in Malaysia. Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology 2(2): 1-11.

Barragan, V.A., Mejia, M.E., Trávez, A., Zapata, S., Hartskeerl, R.A., Haake, D.A. & Trueba, G.A. 2011. Interactions of Leptospira with environmental bacteria from surface water. Current Microbiology 62(6): 1802-1806.

Baust, J.G. 2008. Strategies for the storage of DNA. Cell Preservation Technology 6(4): 251-252.

Benacer, D., Thong, K.L., Verasahib, K.B., Galloway, R.L., Hartskeerl, R.A., Lewis, J.W. & Mohd Zain, S.N. 2016. Human leptospirosis in Malaysia: Reviewing the challenges after 8 decades (1925-2012). Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 28(4): 290-302.

Benacer, D., Siti Nursheena, M.Z., Fairuz, A., Galloway, R.L. & Thong, K.L. 2013. Isolation and molecular characterization of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira borgpetersenii isolates from the urban rat population of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The American Society of Tropical Medical and Hygiene 88(4): 704-709.

Bengis, R., Leighton, F., Fischer, J., Artois, M., Morner, T. & Tate, C. 2004. The role of wildlife in emerging and reemerging zoonoses. Scientific and Technical Review 23(2): 497-512.

Bharti, A.R., Nally, J.E., Ricaldi, J.N., Matthias, M.A., Diaz, M.M., Lovett, M.A., Levett, P.N., Gilman, R.H., Willig, M.R., Gotuzzo, E. & Vinetz, J.M. 2003. Leptospirosis: A zoonotic disease of global importance. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 3(12): 757-771.

Boonsilp, S., Thaipadungpanit, J., Amornchai, P., Wuthiekanun, V., Bailey, M.S., Holden, M.T.G., Zhang, C., Jiang, X., Koizumi, N., Taylor, K., Galloway, R., Hoffmaster, A.R., Craig, S., Smythe, L.D., Hartskeerl, R.A., Day, N.P., Chantratita, N., Feil, E.J., Aanensen, D.M., Spratt, B.G. & Peacock, S.J. 2013. A single multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for seven pathogenic Leptospira species. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 7(1): e1954.

Boonsilp, S., Thaipadungpanit, J., Amornchai, P., Wuthiekanun, V., Chierakul, W., Limmathurotsakul, D., Day, N.P. & Peacock, S.J. 2011. Molecular detection and speciation of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in blood from patients with culture-negatif leptospirosis. BMC Infectious Diseases 11(1): 338.

Cantu, A., Ortega-S, J.A., Mosqueda, J., Garcia-Vazquez, Z., Henke, S. & George, J. 2008. Prevalence of infectious agents in free-ranging white-tailed deer in northeastern Mexico. Journal of Wildlife Diseases44(4): 1002-1007.

Chiani, Y., Jacob, P., Varni, V., Lamdolt, N., Schmeling, M.F., Pujato, N., Caimi, K. & Vanasco, B. 2016. Isolation and clinical sample typing of human leptospirosis cases in Argentina. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 37(2016): 245-251.

Dechner, A. 2013. A retrospective analysis of the leptospirosis research in Columbia. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 8(3): 258-264.

Dietrich, M., Muhdorfer, K., Tortosa, P. & Markotter, W. 2015. Leptospira and bats: Story of an emerging friendship. PLOS Pathogens 11(11): e1005176.

Djadid, N.D., Ganji, Z.F., Gouya, M.M., Rezvani, M. & Zakeri, S. 2009. A simple and rapid nested polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique for differentiation of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Leptospira spp. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease 63(3): 251-256.

Famatiga, E.G. 1973. Leptospirosis in Philippine monkeys. The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 4(3): 316-318.

Francis, C.M. & Barrett, P. 2008. Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia. Princeton: Princeton University Press. pp. 1-392.

Haake, D.A., Chao, G., Zuerner, R.L., Barnett, J.K., Barnett, D., Mazel, M., Matsunaga, J., Levett, P.N. & Bolin, C.A. 2000. The leptospiral major outer membrane protein LipL32 is a lipoprotein expressed during mammalian infection. Infection and Immunity 68(4): 2276-2285.

Jalil, M.F.B. 2009. Comparative phylogeography of three primate species in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Sabah, Malaysia. PhD Thesis. Cardiff University, UK (Unpublised).

Jung, B.Y., Choi, J.S., Kim, K.T., Song, Y.K., Lee, S.H., Lee, K.W., Kim, J.Y. & Moon, O.K. 2007. Seroprevalence of leptospirosis in Korean municipal zoo animals. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 69(8): 861-863.

Kilbourn, A.M., Karesh, W.B., Wolfe, N.D., Bosi, E.J., Cook, R.A. & Andau, M. 2003. Health evaluation of free-ranging and semi-captive orang utans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) in Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39(1): 73-83.

LaRocque, R.C., Breiman, R.F., Ari, M.D., Morey, R.E., Janan, F.A., Hayes, J.M., Hossain, M.A., Brooks, W.A. & Levett, P.N. 2005. Leptospirosis during dengue outbreak, Bangladesh. Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal 11(5): 766-769.

Levett, P.N. 2001. Leptospirosis. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 14(2001): 296-326.

Mohd Ali, M.R., Mohammad Safiee, A.W., Yusof, N.Y., Fauzi, M.H., Yean, C.Y. & Ismail, N. 2018. Isolation of Leptospira kmetyi from residential areas of patients with leptospirosis in Kelantan, Malaysia. Journal of Infection and Public Health 11(2018): 578-580.

Nadia, A.S., Md-Zain, B.M., Dharmalingam, S., Fairuz, A. & Hani-Kartini, A. 2019. Serological survey of leptospirosis in high-risk rangers and wild animals from ex-situ captive centers. Tropical Biomedicine 36(2): 443-452.

Pavlin, B.I., Schloegel, L.M. & Daszak, P. 2009. Risk of importing zoonotic diseases through wildlife trade, United States. Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal 15(11): 1721-1726.

Scialfa, E., Grune, S., Brihuega, B., Aguirre, P. & Rivero, M. 2017. Isolation of saprophytic Leptospira spp. from a selected environmental water source of Argentina. Revista Argentina de Microbiología 50(3): 323-326.

Saito, M., Villanueva, S., Chakraborty, A., Miyahara, S., Segawa, T., Asoh, T., Ozuru, R., Gloriani, N.G., Yanagihara, Y. & Yoshida, S. 2013. Comparative analysis of Leptospira strains isolated from environmental soil and water in the Philippines and Japan. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79(2): 601-609.

Sejvar, J., Bancroft, E., Winthrop, K., Bettinger, J., Bajani, M., Bragg, S., Shutt, K., Kaiser, R., Marano, N., Popovic, T., Tappero, J.W., Ashford, D., Mascola, L., Vugia, D., Perkins, B., Rosenstein, N. & the Eco-Challenge Investigation Team. 2003. Leptospirosis in “Eco-Challenge” athletes, Malaysian Borneo, 2000. Emerging Infectious Diseases 9(6): 702-707.

Slack, A.T., Symonds, M.L., Dohnt, M.F. & Smythe, L.D. 2006. The epidemiology of leptospirosis and the emergence of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea in Queensland, Australia, 1998-2004. Epidemiology and Infection 134(6): 1217-1225.

Szonyi, B., Agudelo-Flórez, P., Ramírez, M., Moreno, N. & Ko, A.I. 2011. An outbreak of severe leptospirosis in capuchin (Cebus) monkeys. Veterinary Journal 2188(2): 237-239.

Thayaparan, S., Robertson, I.D. & Abdullah, M.T. 2014. Leptospiral agglutinins in captive and free ranging non-human primates in Sarawak, Malaysia. Veterinary World 7(6): 428-431.

Vijayachari, P.I., Sugunan, A.P. & Shriram, A.N. 2008. Leptospirosis: An emerging global public health problem. Journal of Biosciences 33(4): 557-569.

 

*Corresponding author; email: hani_ag@ukm.edu.my

   

 

 

previous