This study investigated the infectious status and pathogen characteristics of Leptospira in rodents and the environment in Fujian province to provide data for the prevention and control of leptospirosis.A total of 723 rodents and 31 water samples were col-lected from 19 regions in Fujian Province during 2020-2023.The prevalent rodent species was Rattus losea(35.82%,259/723),which was followed by Rattus norvegicus(20.06%,145/723),Rattus tanezumi(19.64%,142/723),and Niviventer fulvescens(13.97%,101/723).A total of 144 positive samples of Leptospira spp.were detected in rodent kidney samples,accounting for 19.92%(144/723).The positivity rate of Leptospira spp.in wild rodents was higher than that in domestic rodents(χ2=8.48,P<0.05),and the positivity rate in adult rodents was higher than that in juvenile rodents(χ2=14.19,P<0.05).The positivity rates varied among rodent species(χ2=46.11,P<0.05),and differences in the positivity rates of Leptospira spp.were observed among regions(χ2=32.113,P<0.05).Ten strains were isolated from 440 rodent samples,and the isolation rate was 2.27%(10/440).Genospecies identification indi-cated that Leptospira borgpetersenii accounted for seven of the ten isolates,and L.interrogans accounted for three.MLST typing divided 10 isolates into three ST types:ST1,ST16,and ST143.5 isolates were isolated from 31 water samples,with an isolation rate of 16.13%,all of which were nonpathogenic L.tsangambouensis.Although pathogenic Leptospira spp.were not isolated from the water samples,the rodents in Fujian Province were generally infected with pathogenic Leptospira spp.Surveillance of the environment and ro-dents infected with Leptospira spp.should be strengthened.

This study investigated the infectious status and pathogen characteristics of Leptospira in rodents and the environment in Fujian province to provide data for the prevention and control of leptospirosis.A total of 723 rodents and 31 water samples were col-lected from 19 regions in Fujian Province during 2020-2023.The prevalent rodent species was Rattus losea(35.82%,259/723),which was followed by Rattus norvegicus(20.06%,145/723),Rattus tanezumi(19.64%,142/723),and Niviventer fulvescens(13.97%,101/723).A total of 144 positive samples of Leptospira spp.were detected in rodent kidney samples,accounting for 19.92%(144/723).The positivity rate of Leptospira spp.in wild rodents was higher than that in domestic rodents(χ2=8.48,P<0.05),and the positivity rate in adult rodents was higher than that in juvenile rodents(χ2=14.19,P<0.05).The positivity rates varied among rodent species(χ2=46.11,P<0.05),and differences in the positivity rates of Leptospira spp.were observed among regions(χ2=32.113,P<0.05).Ten strains were isolated from 440 rodent samples,and the isolation rate was 2.27%(10/440).Genospecies identification indi-cated that Leptospira borgpetersenii accounted for seven of the ten isolates,and L.interrogans accounted for three.MLST typing divided 10 isolates into three ST types:ST1,ST16,and ST143.5 isolates were isolated from 31 water samples,with an isolation rate of 16.13%,all of which were nonpathogenic L.tsangambouensis.Although pathogenic Leptospira spp.were not isolated from the water samples,the rodents in Fujian Province were generally infected with pathogenic Leptospira spp.Surveillance of the environment and ro-dents infected with Leptospira spp.should be strengthened.