Coinfection with Orthohantavirus and Leptospira spp. in Rats Collected from Markets in Indonesia

Background: Rats are an important reservoir animal for several zoonotic pathogens worldwide, including hantaviruses and Leptospira spp., which are the causative agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, and leptospirosis. Although a previous study indicated a high frequency of antihantaviral antibodies in patients with acute fever in Indonesia, circulating hantaviruses and their reservoir animals in the country remain limited. Materials and Methods: The presence of hantavirus in rats captured in the urban area of Bogor, Indonesia, from which Leptospira spp. were isolated using PCR, followed by DNA sequencing. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to detect hantaviral and leptospiral antigens in rat kidney tissues. Results: Seoul of Orthohantavirus seoulense (SEOV) RNA was detected from 24 of 80 Rattus norvegicus (30%). SEOV and Leptospira coinfection was detected in 10 of 80 rats (12.5%). Immunohistochemistry revealed that hantavirus antigens were positively stained in the interstitial capillaries and cells, whereas Leptospira antigens were stained in the luminal side of the renal tubules. Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of SEOV and SEOV and Leptospira coinfection among rats in the urban areas of Bogor, Indonesia, indicating a potential risk of rat-borne zoonotic diseases in the area.