Hitching a ride: the early history of black rat immigration into southern Africa

Avery, D. Margaret

doi:10.1007/s10530-022-02962-9

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Phylogenetically similar haemoplasma genotypes have been detected in Rattus species sampled from geographically disparate locations (Figure 3), suggesting that Rattus-associated haemoplasmas were likely introduced into novel environments, such as Brazil and South Africa, along with their host species during historic species introductions [16,22]. Members belonging to the Rattus genus likely reached the African continent primarily through the shipping trade but also overland [78]. Molecular analyses indicate that at least three separate R. rattus and two separate R. norvegicus introductions occurred in South Africa, and that R. tanezumi was likely introduced into this country during a single, more recent event [79].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Haemoplasma Prevalence and Diversity in Three Invasive Rattus Species from Gauteng Province, South Africa

et al. 2022

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Invasive Rattus species are carriers of haemotropic Mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) globally, but data from Africa are lacking. Using a PCR-sequencing approach, we assessed haemoplasma prevalence and diversity in kidney and buccal swabs collected from three invasive Rattus species (Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus and R. tanezumi) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Whilst the overall sequence-confirmed haemoplasma prevalence was 38.4%, infection rates in R. rattus (58.3%) were significantly higher (χ2 = 12.96; df = 2; n = 99 p < 0.05) than for R. tanezumi (14.3%). Differences between host sex (χ2 = 3.59 × 10−31; df = 1; n = 99; p = 1.00) and age (χ2 = 4.28; df = 2; n = 99; p = 0.12) were not significant. Whilst buccal (1.01%) and ectoparasite positivity (2.13%) were low, these results suggest that multiple transmission routes are possible. Three phylogenetically distinct lineages, consistent with global rat-associated strains described to date, were detected, namely, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomuris subsp. Ratti’, and two Rattus-specific haemoplasmas that are yet to be formally described. These results expand the known distribution of invasive rat-associated haemoplasmas and highlight the potential for pathogen co-invasion of new territories together with invading rodent hosts.

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