Renal carriage of Leptospira species in rodents from Mediterranean Chile: The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) as a relevant host in agricultural lands

In Mediterranean Chile, rodents were more infected with Leptospira in agricultural sites than in wild sites, Rattus norvegicus was the most infected species in this zone. [Display omitted] We evaluated the renal carriage of Leptospira species in rodent communities from Mediterranean Chile using a PCR technique. We found that animals inhabiting agricultural areas were almost three times more infected than in wild areas (14.4% vs. 4.4%). The Norwegian rat (Rattus norvegicus), an invasive murid ubiquitous in the country, was the most infected species (38.1%).