Nur Juliani Shafie

Abdul Malek SNH, Azmir IA, Shafie NJ, Esa Y, Hanafi WNW. 2025. DNA barcoding of bats from two selected forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia. Biodiversitas 26: 2843-2856. Bats (order Chiroptera) are notable for their species diversity and a variety of distinct characteristics. However, as several molecular studies have shown, morphological similarities in some taxa of this group can result in neglected diversity. DNA barcodes can help by providing an accurate, rapid, and effective method of species recognition. In this study, we used DNA barcoding to identify bats captured from two selected regions in Peninsular Malaysia: Kenyir, Terengganu and Taman Alam Liar Negeri Kenaboi (TALNK), Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. DNA barcoding analysis was performed on 38 bat specimens to further verify the species identification of the captured bats from morphological characteristics. The COI gene (603-604 bp) was successfully sequenced from the 38 bat species, representing 3 families, 5 genera, and 15 species. The phylogenies of NJ, ML, and Bayesian methods resulted in most of the specimens of the same species being clustered together. According to the IUCN Red List, Rhinolophus trifoliatus is listed as Near Threatened (NT), whereas 14 species were listed as Least Concern (LC). The findings reported in this study confirm the usefulness of DNA barcoding to identify bat species and to measure bat diversity in Kenyir and TALNK forest reserves. Improving habitat conservation in forest reserves is necessary to guard against the disruption and extinction of bat species.

Background: Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by the penetration of adult female Tunga fleas into the skin of humans and animals. The disease disproportionately affects individuals in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Caribbean, where poverty, inadequate sanitation and limited healthcare services facilitate transmission, especially among vulnerable populations. Objective: To evaluate the association between socio-environmental factors and personal hygiene practices with tungiasis prevalence among residents of rural communities in the periphery of Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria, across the rainy and dry seasons from September 2021 – April 2022. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, targeting at least 423 participants per sampling season. Following ethical approval and informed consent, semi-structured questionnaires were administered to collect demographic, socioeconomic, environmental and hygiene-related data. Physical examinations, performed by a qualified medical practitioner, identified tungiasis cases based on previously validated criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while the Chi-square test assessed associations between infection status and categorical variables. A multivariate generalized linear model was used to identify key predictors of tungiasis infection. Results: Overall tungiasis prevalence of 5.3% (54/1020) among study participants. While infection rates were slightly higher in males (27/410; 6.6%), the difference was not statistically significant. Most infected participants (96.3%) had lower education levels and exhibited unsatisfactory hygiene practices. The Chi-square test identified residing in a household with an earthen floor as the strongest variable correlated with tungiasis [χ ² = 63.2, p = < 0.001 ]. However, the final model, revealed seasonality -rainy season (OR: 4.80 [2.33–10.82], p = < 0.001 ), frequent rat sightings (OR: 3.04 [1.40–7.29], p = 0.008 ) and sleeping on a mattress placed directly on the floor (OR: 2.60 [1.18–6.28], p = 0.024 ) as the most significant determinants of tungiasis infection. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the complex interplay between socioeconomic status, environmental characteristics, hygiene practices and seasonal variations in shaping tungiasis prevalence within a vulnerable rural community. Key predictors of infection, that is, seasonality, frequent rat sightings and poor sleeping conditions, underscore the need for targeted interventions to prioritize improving personal and household hygiene, implementing sustainable rodent control measures and raising community awareness about tungiasis prevention. These measures will not only help reduce tungiasis prevalence but also mitigate the burden of other zoonotic diseases that thrive under similar socio-environmental conditions.

Background: Rats play a significant role as important reservoirs in the transmission of neglected zoonotic diseases, such as leptospirosis, particularly in poor urban and suburban communities of Low and Middle-Income Countries. Their proliferation is influenced by poor socio-environmental conditions like poor housing conditions, improper refuse disposal, and open sewer which generally furnish rats with food, water and harborage sources. Several interventions have been targeted against rats, given their public health menace but with no significant success, probably due to insufficient knowledge about context-specific factors influencing their proliferation in poor environments. Methodology/Principal Findings: We evaluated the effect of different socio-environmental conditions on rat proliferation and the possible outcome on the transmission of Leptospira in suburban environments. We performed ten trapping sessions between April 2021 and January 2022, and captured 89 small mammals from 1385 trapping efforts (specifically, Rattus norvegicus (n = 39), Rattus rattus (n = 27), Rattus exulans (n = 10), Suncus murinus (n = 11), and Tupaia glis (n = 2)), with a 15.7% (n = 14/89) of the captured animals testing positive for Leptospira bacteria using PCR detection. We used a generalized linear model to evaluate the effect of different socio-environmental variables on household rat infestation and reported residences without paved floors, the presence of animals/pets, residence type and residences with vacant lots as variables positively associated with rat proliferation in the study sites. Conclusion: Rats are widely and differentially distributed in the poor communities of Dungun. Besides R . norvegicus and R . rattus , S. murinus and T. glis could also maintain and encourage pathogenic Leptospira transmission in the study areas. To adequately control rats proliferation and subsequent human zoonoses transmission, it will be critical to advocate and promote appropriate infrastructure and urban services, together with good hygiene practices to reduce rats’ access to water, food and harborage. Author Summary: Rats are important reservoirs in the transmission of urban and suburban leptospirosis, and their proliferation is generally supported by poor socio-environmental conditions. Despite the strong association between poor socio-environmental conditions, rat proliferation and leptospirosis transmission, few studies have characterized their relationships in many poor suburban environments. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of different socio-environmental conditions on rat proliferation and possible effect on leptospirosis transmission in suburban communities of Dungun, Malaysia. We performed rat trapping and captured 89 small mammals from three orders, with a 15.7% (n = 14/89) of the captured animals testing positive for Leptospira bacteria using PCR detection. Using a generalized linear model, we reported residences without paved floors, the presence of animals/pets, residence type and residences with vacant lots as variables that are positively associated with rat proliferation in the study sites. Our findings show that rats are widely distributed in the study sites, and that in addition to R . norvegicus and R . rattus , S. murinus and T. glis could also maintain and transmit pathogenic Leptospira . Given the variables associated with rats proliferation, it is crucial to promote appropriate infrastructure and good hygiene practices to reduce rats’ access to water, food and harborage and subsequent rodent-borne diseases.

Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease that is transmitted worldwide through infected small mammals such as rodents. In Malaysia, there is a paucity of information on the animal reservoirs that are responsible for leptospirosis transmission, with only a few studies focusing on leptospirosis risk in recreational areas. Therefore, in this study we characterized the species composition and the prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in non-volant small mammals of Hutan Lipur Sekayu, Terengganu. We performed ten trapping sessions totaling 3000 trappings between September 2019 and October 2020. Kidney samples from captured individuals were extracted for the PCR detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Overall, we captured 45 individuals from 8 species (1.56% successful trapping effort), with 9 individuals testing positive for pathogenic Leptospira, that is, a 20% (n = 9/45) prevalence rate. Rattus tiomanicus (n = 22) was the most dominant captured species and had the highest positive individual with pathogenic Leptospira (44.4%, n = 4/9). Despite the low successful trapping effort in this study, the results show the high diversity of non-volant small mammals in Hutan Lipur Sekayu, and that they could also maintain and transmit pathogenic Leptospira.

Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease that is transmitted worldwide through infected small mammals such as rodents. In Malaysia, there is paucity of information on the animal reservoirs that are responsible for leptospirosis transmission, with only few studies focusing on leptospirosis risk in recreational areas. Therefore, in this study, we characterized the species composition and the prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in non-volant small mammals of Hutan Lipur Sekayu, Terengganu. We performed ten trapping sessions totaling 3,000 trapping efforts between September 2019 and October 2020. Kidney samples from captured individuals were extracted for the PCR detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Overall, we captured 45 individuals from 8 species (1.56% successful trapping effort), with 9 individuals testing positive for pathogenic Leptospira, that is 20% (n = 9/45) prevalence rate. Rattus tiomanicus (n = 22) was the most dominant captured species and was found to harbour the highest positive individual with pathogenic Leptospira (44.4%, n = 4/9). Despite the low successful trapping effort in this study, the result shows that the non-volant small mammals of Hutan Lipur Sekayu are capable of maintaining and transmitting pathogenic Leptospira, thus making this recreational area a potential infestation ground for leptospirosis.

A study was conducted to determine the species composition, density and feeding guild of birds at Tasik Kenyir and Setiu, Terengganu between June and September 2017 using line transect method. Observations of birds at Tasik Kenyir and Setiu recorded a total of 297 individuals consisting of 26 families from 64 species. This study estimated that the diversity of birds at Tasik Kenyir (H’ = 3.6) was higher compared to Setiu (H’ = 2.9). However, the density of birds at Setiu (52.05 ± 9.09 SE individuals/ha) was higher than Tasik Kenyir (37.56 ± 10.28 SE individuals/ha). Ten feeding guilds of birds were identified in this study; insectivore, nectarivore, frugivore, omnivore, carnivore, granivore, insectivore-nectarivore, insectivore-frugivore, insectivore-granivore and frugivore-granivore. This study has provided valuable information on the bird assemblage and the understanding on the distribution of birds at Tasik Kenyir and Setiu. It is highly recommended that further studies to be conducted at both sites with more sampling efforts in order to gain a more comprehensive baseline datasets for monitoring bird population trends and turnover between habitats.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease and a worldwide public health problem that affects mainly high-risk groups. Characterizing knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among high-risk groups is important to develop appropriate prevention programs. Here, we performed a cross-sectional study among 300 visitors of a recreational forest in Malaysia to examine leptospirosis KAP and demographics. These variables were integrated to create knowledge and practice scores for each respondent. All respondents had heard about leptospirosis, and 87% of them correctly identified it as a disease. The majority of respondents had high knowledge (63%), positive attitude, and good practice (68%) toward prevention of the disease. However, there were gaps in knowledge, with 78% of the respondents indicating eating without washing hands as the major cause of leptospirosis transmission. Our final model identified that higher knowledge score was associated with higher practice score. Our results indicate that it is important to increase knowledge, especially on transmission routes of leptospirosis, among visitors in recreational areas. Moreover, more attention needs to be paid to promote good practice habits among visitors, targeting those at higher risk of being infected by leptospirosis to prevent potential outbreaks in the recreational areas.