Interaction between humans, livestock, and wildlife plays an important role in zoonotic disease transmission. The emergence of Leptospira in humans, rodents, and cattle remains relatively understudied. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2023 in Muheza to determine evidence of Leptospira infection and associated risk factors in rodents, cattle, and humans. A total of 479 serum samples from rodents (n=201), humans (n=198), and cattle (n=80) were examined by using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) to detect antibodies against six live Leptospira stock culture serovars, including Pomona, Hebdomadis, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Sokoine, and Lora. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 140 respondents to establish potential risk factors for transmission of Leptospira. The overall Leptospira seroprevalence in rodents, cattle and humans was 6.0% (12/201; 95% CI: 3.12%-10.20 %), 12.5% (10/80; 95% CI: 6.16%-21.79%) and 13.13% (26/198; 95% CI: 8.76%-18.65%), respectively and the most predominant serovars were Grippotyphosa, Sokoine, and Hebdomadis. A significant difference in the seroprevalence was observed in the occupation category, with farmers likelier to be infected with leptospirosis than those in other categories (χ 2= 9.19, df = 3, p = 0.027). This study showed co-agglutination between rodents, cattle, and humans with serovars Hebdomadis, Sokoine, and Grippotyphosa. People aged 36-59 had the highest seropositivity, suggesting they are the most at-risk group. Our study shed light on pathogenic serovars circulating among humans, rodents, and cattle and their associated risk factors. It also highlights the importance of employing a One Heath approach in controlling zoonotic disease.

Introduction: The study explored the effect of management system on the haematological profiles of African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) as compared to the natural environment standard procedures were observed in determining haematological parameters. Method: The blood samples were collected from the rats both wild and captivity rats, analyzed using statistically the descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were done using SPSS version 20. Results: The southern giant pouched rats in the wild had higher counts (mean ± standard deviation) for RBC (6.5±1.5) and lymphocytes (38.1±15.7) than housed rats. The rats in captivity had high reading of total white blood cell counts (8.7±2.4), neutrophils (3.5±2.4) and eosinophil (1.4±1.01) than the wild rats. The blood indices showed that wild rats have relatively higher reading on PCV (42.1±7.4) and HBC (18.5±1.8); whereas the rats in captivity had high reading on MCV (72.9±6.7), Thrombin concentration (380.2±104.5) and MPV (7.6±0.9). The determination of sex versus blood cells and indices; it was shown that female wild rats had high reading on RBC (7.2±1.3), WBC (7.8±1.7) and lymphocytes (35.0±1.8) compared to males; the male rats had high reading on monocytes (3.3±1.9), neutrophils (2.3±1.3) and eosinophil (1.0±0.5). The relation of sex to the determined heamotological parameters had no significant difference. The blood indices with respect to se of the rats; it was shown that wild male rats had high reading on MCV (67.0±18.8), PCV (39.8±9.6), HBC (14.9±4.4) and thrombin concentration (387.0±109.0); meanwhile the rats in captivity the reading were not significant different. Conclusion: The present study presents preliminary haematological profiles of southern giant pouched rats in Morogoro which could be useful to researchers in animal physiology. The authors are adamant that these findings provide an insight on further research areas for laboratory based animals and studies on human parameters involving rats or mine in the tropics

A study aimed at assessing the structure of rodent and shrew assemblages inhabiting a degradation gradient while considering rainfall patterns, was conducted in one of few remaining lowland tropical forests in Eastern Africa. We collected a unique dataset of rodents and shrews, representing 24 species (19 rodents, 5 shrews). The most abundant species alternated in dominance as species abundance significantly fluctuated across the study period following a degradation gradient (F2,33 = 5.68, p = 0.007). While only generalist species were observed near the degraded forest edge, habitat specialists such as Deomys ferrugineus, Malacomys longipes and Scutisorex congicus, were observed in the primary forest interior suggesting a significant (X2 = 1165.329, P<0.001) association between species and their associated habitats and habitat attributes. There was also an observed correlation between rainfall patterns and species abundance. Capturing more species in adjacent fallows and along the degraded forest edge suggests that many species are able to live in degraded habitats that offer a variety of food resources. The continued pressure on forest resources, however, may lead to changes in habitat structure. This, coupled with the dependence of forest ecological functions on rainfall, which is typically not the case, may ultimately cause the local extinction of highly specialized but less adaptable species.