Hotspots of Infection: Spatial Analysis of Rat Populations and Leptospira sp. in South Sulawesi

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira sp., primarily transmitted through the urine of infected rodents. The objective of this research is to analyze the spatial distribution of rat populations and to detect the presence of Leptospira spp within these populations in Pitue Village, South Sulawesi. A descriptive observational approach was used to determine rat density and detect Leptospira sp. in captured rodent kidney samples. A total of 200 live traps were set in residential areas, both indoors and outdoors, over three consecutive days using roasted coconut as bait. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing was conducted on rat kidney samples at Hasanuddin University Medical Research Center (HUM-RC). Geospatial mapping using Quantum GIS (QGIS) was employed to visualize rat density and Leptospira sp. distribution. The study found a trap success rate of 18.5%, with 37 rats captured, exceeding the national standard of less than 1%. Suncus murinus (62%) was the most frequently trapped species, followed by Rattus tanezumi (16%), Rattus norvegicus (12%), and Rattus argentiventer (5.4%). PCR testing confirmed Leptospira sp. in three rat kidney samples. Spatial analysis revealed clustering of rat presence within a 60-meter buffer zone, indicating high-risk areas for leptospirosis transmission.  By identifying areas with high rat density and the occurrence of Leptospira infection, the study seeks to evaluate the potential public health risks posed by leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease transmitted through environmental exposure to contaminated urine from infected rodents. Future research should explore predictive modeling and environmental factors influencing leptospirosis transmission.