Distribution, biology and prey selection of the introduced Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus at Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather L. Major ◽  
Ian L. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
Aethia Pusilla ◽  
Reproductive Females ◽  
Norway Rats ◽  
Selection Of

At Kiska Island, Alaska, USA we quantified age, sex, size, distribution and predation of Least Auklets Aethia pusilla by non-indigenous Norway Rats Rattus norvegicus, to evaluate their impact on auklet reproductive success. Rat distribution was assessed by surveying accessible parts of Kiska Island for rat sign and prey hoards. To quantify prey selection and infer diet, the contents of all hoards found were identified. Age, sex and size structure of the rat population was assessed using limited snap trapping on and off the Sirius Point auklet colony. Norway Rat sign was abundant in all areas near breeding seabirds and marine sources of food but rat sign abundance varied among years at Sirius Point. Although we found a larger proportion of juvenile to adult rats (0.54 : 0.46, p < 0.01) at Sirius Point, no significant differences were found in the proportion of reproductive to non-reproductive females (0.50 : 0.27, p > 0.05) or in overall adult body size (257 g and 37 cm : 236 g and 35 cm, p > 0.05) between Sirius Point and Christine Lake where breeding auklets are absent. Surplus killing and food hoarding by rats was noted in all years during the auklet laying period, with adult Least Auklets being the principal prey taken (4-148 individuals per hoard, n = 16 hoards). Our observations were consistent with the notion that rats have a negative impact on auklet populations, but for management purposes further information on whether rats are the sole cause of auklet reproductive failure is required.

scholarly journals Field trials of flocoumafen against warfarin-resistant infestations of the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus Berk)

1986 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Buckle
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Anticoagulant Rodenticide ◽  
Complete Control ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
Norway Rats ◽  
Farm Buildings

SUMMARYThe anticoagulant rodenticide flocoumafen was tested against warfarin-resistant Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus Berk.) infesting farm buildings. Complete control was obtained in 10–21 days (mean 14·2 days) in six treatments in which baits poisoned with 0·005% flocoumafen were maintained, in surplus, until rats ceased to feed from them. A further six treatments, in which the application of poisoned bait was restricted to periodic placements of 50 g, were also completely successful in 15–30 days (mean 21·0 days). Less poisoned bait was used in the restricted flocoumafen treatments than in the unrestricted treatments but the time taken to control the rat infestations was significantly longer.

scholarly journals Leptospira in breast tissue and milk of urban Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)

2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (11) ◽  
pp. 2420-2429 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. DE OLIVEIRA ◽  
C. P. FIGUEIRA ◽  
L. ZHAN ◽  
A. C. PERTILE ◽  
G. G. PEDRA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Breast Tissue ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Immunofluorescence Assay ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
First Time ◽  
Globally Distributed ◽  
Norway Rats

SUMMARYLeptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The disease is globally distributed and a major public health concern. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the main reservoir of the pathogen in urban slums of developing and developed countries. The potential routes of intra-specific leptospire transmission in rats are largely unknown. Herein, we identified pathogenic Leptospira spp. in breast tissue and milk of naturally infected rats. We examined kidney, breast tissue and milk from 24 lactating rats for the presence of leptospires using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and scanning electronic microscopy. All 24 rats had evidence for Leptospira in the kidneys, indicating chronic carriage. The majority of kidney-positive rats had detectable leptospires in milk (18, 75%) and breast tissue (16, 67%), as evidenced by immunofluorescence assay and immunohistochemistry. Four (17%) milk samples and two (8%) breast tissue samples were positive by quantitative real-time PCR. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of leptospires in breast tissue. No major pathological changes in breast tissue were found. This study, for the first time, identified leptospires in the milk and breast tissue of wild Norway rats, suggesting the possibility of milk-borne transmission of leptospirosis to neonates.

scholarly journals Evidence of multiple intraspecific transmission routes for Leptospira acquisition in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)

2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (16) ◽  
pp. 3438-3448 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. MINTER ◽  
P. J. DIGGLE ◽  
F. COSTA ◽  
J. CHILDS ◽  
A. I. KO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Cumulative Risk ◽  
Urban Slum ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Prevalence Data ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Norway Rats

SUMMARYInfectious diseases frequently have multiple potential routes of intraspecific transmission of pathogens within wildlife and other populations. For pathogens causing zoonotic diseases, knowing whether these transmission routes occur in the wild and their relative importance, is critical for understanding maintenance, improving control measures and ultimately preventing human disease. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the primary reservoir of leptospirosis in the urban slums of Salvador, Brazil. There is biological evidence for potentially three different transmission routes of leptospire infection occurring in the rodent population. Using newly obtained prevalence data from rodents trapped at an urban slum field site, we present changes in cumulative risk of infection in relation to age-dependent transmission routes to infer which intra-specific transmission routes occur in the wild. We found that a significant proportion of animals leave the nest with infection and that the risk of infection increases throughout the lifetime of Norway rats. We did not observe a significant effect of sexual maturity on the risk of infection. In conclusion, our results suggest that vertical and environmental transmission of leptospirosis both occur in wild populations of Norway rats.

ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF INTRODUCED NORWAY RATS (RATTUS NORVEGICUS) ON SURVIVAL AND PRODUCTIVITY OF LEAST AUKLETS (AETHIA PUSILLA)

The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather L. Major ◽  
Ian L. Jones ◽  
G. Vernon Byrd ◽  
Jeffrey C. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Aethia Pusilla ◽  
Norway Rats

scholarly journals Assessing the Effects of Introduced Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) on Survival and Productivity of Least Auklets (Aethia Pusilla)

The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 681-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather L. Major ◽  
Ian L. Jones ◽  
G. Vernon Byrd ◽  
Jeffrey C. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
Chick Growth ◽  
Aethia Pusilla ◽  
Cast Doubt ◽  
Fledging Mass ◽  
Norway Rats

Abstract We assessed potential effects of introduced Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) on Least Auklets (Aethia pusilla) breeding at Sirius Point on Kiska Island, the largest auklet colony in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. We compared productivity, chick growth, and adult survival of Least Auklets during 2001-2003 at Kiska and two nearby, rat-free Least Auklet colonies on Buldir and Kasatochi islands. During 2001 and 2002 (when rats were abundant), productivity at Kiska was the lowest ever recorded for this species (0.09–0.16 chicks fledged per eggs laid), primarily because of high mortality of newly hatched chicks. Growth rates and mean fledging mass were both lower on Kiska than on rat-free islands, though there were some interannual differences in these patterns. Adult survival rates were highly variable among years but strongly concordant among colonies, and survival from 2001 to 2002 on Kiska (0.881 ± 0.033) did not differ significantly from long-term averages on either Buldir (0.853 ± 0.014, 1990-2003) or Kasatochi (0.893 ± 0.027, 1996-2003) islands. Although we found little evidence at nesting crevices of predation on adults, eggs, or chicks, low productivity and slow chick growth were both consistent with disturbance caused by rats, particularly through disruption of adults attempting to brood or provision young chicks. Breeding failure may have been exacerbated by low prey availability for chick provisioning, but the lack of concordance in either productivity or chick growth rates between Kiska Island and nearby rat-free Buldir Island cast doubt on this possibility. Évaluer les Effets de Rattus norvegicus Introduits sur la Survie et la Productivité de Aethia pusilla

scholarly journals Toxigenic and pathogenic fungi in Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus Berk., 1769) from natural populations in semiagricultural habitats

2007 ◽  
pp. 267-270
Author(s):  
Milena Kataranovski ◽  
Jasmina Glamoclija ◽  
Marina Sokovic ◽  
Milica Ljaljevic-Grbic ◽  
Dragan Kataranovski
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Mucor Racemosus ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
Norway Rats

In this study, the presence of toxigenic and pathogenic fungi was detected in individuals of natural populations of Norway rats from semiagricultural habitats. The presence of fungi was noted in 19 out of 30 (63%) individuals examined. Six fungal species were isolated and identified, of which majority belonged to Hyphomycetes (Deuteromycotina) and Mucor racemosus from Zygomycotina. All of detected species are of public health importance and some of them might influence animals health.

Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) as a potential reservoir for Echinococcus granulosus: A public health implication

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled A. Abdel-Moein ◽  
Dalia A. Hamza
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Public Health Implication ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
Potential Reservoir ◽  
Cystic Hydatidosis ◽  
Norway Rats

AbstractCystic hydatidosis is a re-emerging parasitic zoonosis with worldwide distribution. The current study was carried out to investigate the possible role of rats in the epidemiology of such disease in urban and suburban areas. For this purpose, a total of 50 feral Norway rats (

scholarly journals One Health Approach to Zoonotic Parasites: Molecular Detection of Intestinal Protozoans in an Urban Population of Norway Rats, Rattus norvegicus, in Barcelona, Spain

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 311
Author(s):  
María Teresa Galán-Puchades ◽  
María Trelis ◽  
Sandra Sáez-Durán ◽  
Susana Cifre ◽  
Carla Gosálvez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Norvegicus ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
One Health ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
Norway Rat ◽  
The One ◽  
Zoonotic Parasites ◽  
Norway Rats

Rattus norvegicus, the brown or Norway rat, is the most abundant mammal after humans in urban areas, where they live in close proximity to people. Among rodent-borne diseases, the reservoir role of Norway rats of zoonotic parasites in cities has practically been ignored. Considering the parasitic diseases in the One Health approach, we intended to identify and quantify the zoonotic intestinal protozoans (ZIP) in an urban population of R. norvegicus in the city of Barcelona, Spain. We studied the presence of ZIP in 100 rats trapped in parks (n = 15) as well as in the city’s sewage system (n = 85) in the winter of 2016/17. The protozoans were molecularly identified by means of a multiplex PCR (AllplexTM Gastrointestinal Panel-Parasite Assay). We also investigated the presence of co-infections among the species found. Four ZIP were identified, presenting significant prevalences in sewers, specifically Blastocystis (83.5%), Giardia duodenalis (37.7%), Cryptosporidium spp. (34.1%), and Dientamoeba fragilis (14.1%). Several co-infections among the detected ZIP were also detected. The reservoir role of ZIP that Norway rats play in cities as well as the role rats may play as sentinels of zoonotic parasites affecting humans in urban areas are strongly backed up by our findings. The increasing worldwide urbanization, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic are factors that are producing an increase in human–rat interactions. Our results should be considered a warning to the authorities to intensify rat control and surveillance in public health interventions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document