ZHANG Xiao-long, WANG Dong, ZHAO Jing, ZHAO Zhi-liang, YUAN Ling-rui, ZHOU Run-yi, TIAN Jie, GUO Hui-lin, GAO Chun-yan
Objective This research was performed to identify rodent-borne pathogens in Hekou Port, Yunnan Province. Methods Rodents were captured using cages and dissected to collect their lungs, liver, spleen, and other viscera. Eight pathogens, including Yersinia pestis, Leptospira, Bartonella, and Anaplasmataceae, were identified using polymerase chain reaction amplification. Amplified pathogen sequences from positive samples were sequenced, and BLAST homology searches were conducted using GenBank to confirm pathogen identities. A phylogenetic tree of the identified pathogens was constructed using the neighbor joining method. Results The total of 31 rodents, identified as Rattus tanezumi, R. norvegicus, and Mus musculus, were captured. Among these, R. tanezumi was the dominant species, accounting for 64.52% of the total. Two pathogens, Leptospira interrogans and Neoehrlichia mikurensis, were detected, with positivity rates of 9.68% and 29.03%, respectively. No other pathogens were detected. The overall positivity rate for rodent-borne pathogens was 35.48%. Conclusions The single 16S rRNA gene fragment is insufficient for the molecular identification of all Neoehrlichia species. Accurate species identification should be based on a combined analysis of multiple genes. The prevalence of rodent-borne pathogens in Hekou Port indicates the necessity for enhanced surveillance of rodent-borne diseases and implementation of additional prevention and control measures in border ports.