A molecular survey of zoonotic pathogens of public health importance in rodents/shrews and their ectoparasites trapped in Puducherry, India.

Background: Globally, India has a high zoonotic disease burden and lacks surveillance data in humans and animals. Rodents are known reservoirs for many zoonotic diseases and their synanthropic behavior poses a great public health threat.

Methods: In this study, trapped rodents/shrews from randomly selected villages within Puducherry, India, and their ectoparasites were screened for zoonotic pathogens, namely, Orientia tsutsugamushi, other pathogenic rickettsiae, Leptospira spp.