Detection and identification of blood protozoa trypanosoma lewisi in wild rats located in Malang, East Java

Trypanosomiasis is a disease caused by extracellular hemoflagellate protozoa. These parasites infect wide range of animal in vertebrate host. Trypanosoma lewisi is natural blood parasite of rodents and considering as non pathogenic in human, however cases of humans infected by T. lewisi have been reported in several Asian countries. In this study, we figure out the detection and infection of T. lewisi in wild rats located in Malang, East java Indonesia. Using pilot study, rats were collected from different part of Malang by single live traps. Rats were identified for species, age and sex by morphometric. Each rat was euthanized with ketamine and xylazine. Samples of blood were taken by cardiac puncture. The samples were examined using blood smear with Giemsa stained. The identification is based on morphology and morphometry of blood protozoa. T. lewisi identification data was analyzed descriptively, while the analysis of species and gender of rodents on infection used Chi square test. Result, 60 rats were trapped, Rattus norvegicus was the most predominant with 34 (56.7%), following with Rattus rattus 19 (31.7 %) and Suncus murinus 7 (11.7%). From blood samples examined, 13 (21.7%) rats are positive with blood protozoa Trypanosoma lewisi. Moreover, there is no significant correlation between protozoan infection and species, age as well as gender of rats. Findings of this study showed that rats in Malang are infected with blood parasites; some of them might be potential risks to residents and domestic animals in the region.