Haematology of captive wild African giant (Cricetomys gambianus) and brown (Rattus norvegicus) rats sero-positive for Leptospira spp. around Zaria

In this study, the haematology of captive wild African giant (Cricetomys gambianus) and brown (Rattus norvegicus) rats sero-positive for Leptospira spp. around Zaria was determined. Blood was collected by intracardiac aspiration using chloroform anaesthesia from 10 adult wild rats (5 African giant and 5 brown rats) caught within Zaria and its environs. The individual blood samples were screened for antibodies against Leptospira spp. using IgG ELISA kit. Blood samples of rats positive to Leptospira spp. were subjected to haematological assay carried out following standard procedures. The sero-prevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in both rat species was found to be 100%. In conclusion, the monocyte count in the African giant rat were significantly lower (P = 0.000) compared to corresponding values in the brown rat.