{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,8]],"date-time":"2026-03-08T16:57:41Z","timestamp":1772989061148,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2010,3,25]],"date-time":"2010-03-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1269475200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":10341,"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/terms"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Hyg."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1981,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Summary<\/jats:title><jats:p>Epidemiological aspects of infection with leptospires of the Ballum serogroup in black rats (<jats:italic>Rattus rattus<\/jats:italic>) and brown rats (<jats:italic>Rattus norvegicus<\/jats:italic>) are described. Rats inhabiting a variety of habitats were investigated and isolates identified as belonging to the Ballum serogroup were obtained from 21 of 61 black rats (34%) and 63 of 243 brown rats (26%). The high level of endemic Ballum serogroup infection in these species reported here has not been described in other countries.<\/jats:p><jats:p>A statistical relationship was shown between the prevalence of infection in brown rat populations and population density but this was not evident for black rats. Epidemiological data indicates that the black rat is a maintenance host for leptospires of the Ballum serogroup in New Zealand. The brown rat does not appear to be an efficient maintenance host for these leptospires, however endemic infection can be maintained in high-density populations inhabiting synanthropic foci.<\/jats:p><jats:p>An hypothesis of \u2018competitive exclusion\u2019 (preferential maintenance of a particular serovar by a host species) is introduced with regard to leptospiral infection in brown rats. It is concluded that the establishment and maintenance of an endemic focus of leptospirosis is dependant on: introduction of a particular serovar; a suitable host; and a suitable host habitat. Within a maintenance population direct transmission appears to be more important than indirect transmission via the environment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1017\/s0022172400069679","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2010,3,25]],"date-time":"2010-03-25T13:12:34Z","timestamp":1269522754000},"page":"427-436","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":44,"title":["Ecological aspects of the epidemiology of infection with leptospires of the Ballum serogroup in the black rat (<i>Rattus rattus<\/i>) and the brown rat (<i>Rattus norvegicus<\/i>) in New Zealand"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"87","author":[{"given":"S. C.","family":"Hathaway","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"D. K.","family":"Blackmore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2010,3,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1744-7348.1965.tb07933.x"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1016\/S0034-5288(18)33761-5","article-title":"The isolation of Leptospira belonging to the serogroup Ballum from the kidneys of a brown rat (Rattus norvegicus)","volume":"16","author":"Michna","year":"1974","journal-title":"Research in Veterinary Science"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref034","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.84.17.424"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref001","first-page":"152","article-title":"Leptospirosis in Puerto Rico","volume":"2","author":"Alexander","year":"1963","journal-title":"Zoonoses Research"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref020","unstructured":"Innes J. (1977). Biology and ecology of the Ship rat, Rattus rattus (Lynn) in Manawatu (New Zealand) Forests. Unpublished M.Sci. thesis, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand."},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref012","first-page":"140","article-title":"Leptospirosis in Pennsylvania. A progress report","volume":"65","author":"Clark","year":"1961","journal-title":"Proceedings of the United States Livestock and Sanitary Association"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref004","unstructured":"Best L. W. (1968). The ecology of Rattus rattus L. in selected areas of the South Island, New Zealand, Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, University of Canterbury, New Zealand."},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref022","unstructured":"Kmety E. (1974). Problems of the serological classification of pathogenic leptospires. Folia of the Faculty of Medicine, Comenianae, Bratislava, 12, Supplementum, 1974."},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref006","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1977.34369"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref014","first-page":"363","article-title":"A survey of rats on Kapiti Island, New Zealand","volume":"12","author":"Daniel","year":"1969","journal-title":"New Zealand Journal of Science"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref024","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0021-9975(70)90036-8"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1749-6632.1958.tb35398.x"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref018","first-page":"23","article-title":"Animal leptospirosis in Malaya. II. Localities sampled","volume":"24","author":"Gordon-Smith","year":"1961","journal-title":"Bulletin of the World Health Organisation"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref016","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7589\/0090-3558-8.4.343"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref029","volume-title":"Epidemiology in Veterinary Practice","author":"Schwabe","year":"1977"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref017","first-page":"405","article-title":"Research into the nidality of Leptospira ballum in campestral hosts, including the hog-nosed snake (Heterodon platyrhinus)","volume":"L1","author":"Ferris","year":"1961","journal-title":"Cornell Veterinarian"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref023","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1096-3642.1946.tb00103.x"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref033","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0035-9203(67)90045-4"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref009","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1977.34359"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref010","unstructured":"Calhoun J. B. (1962). The ecology and sociology of the Norway rat. U.S.D.H.E.W. Public Health Service Pub. No. 1008."},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref032","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/oxfordjournals.aje.a121112"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref007","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0022172400037864"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref005","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1956.33238"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref015","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0022172400040195"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.50.5.682"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref011","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00480169.1980.34688"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref035","volume-title":"C.D.C. Zoonoses Surveillance","year":"1966"},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref019","unstructured":"Hathaway S. C. (1978). Leptospirosis in free-living animals in New Zealand with particular reference to the possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand."},{"key":"S0022172400069679_ref021","first-page":"342","article-title":"Leptospirosis in New Zealand. 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