Widespread Abundance of Capillaria hepatica Among Wild Rodents Captured at Wet Markets in Medan, Indonesia: Indicating Highly Potential Zoonosis Transmission

Background: Capillaria hepatica is a zoonotic nematode primarily infecting rodents. In humans, it causes hepatic capillariasis, a disease that resembles hepatitis. Rodents act as primary reservoirs and key amplifiers of transmission by ingesting the embryonated eggs in contaminated soil/food/water. The wet market is a potential hotspot for transmission through contaminated environments. Methods: We aimed to detect C. hepatica among wild rodents from three popular wet markets in Medan, Indonesia: Simpang Limun, Petisah, and Melati. Bait traps were placed near market stalls and nearby residences. Rodent species were identified based on morphology. Liver tissue was microscopically examined and further confirmed with PCR targeting the C. hepatica 18S rRNA gene. The spatial display was produced through a GIS approach. Results: From 150 rodents, the species captured were Rattus norvegicus (70.7%) and Rattus tanezumi (29.3%), with R. norvegicus as the most infected (95/106). Overall prevalence was 79.3%, with Petisah having the highest local prevalence (48/51). Positive rodents were found at market stalls and in nearby residential areas. Conclusion: We found a high prevalence of C. hepatica among wild rodents in the three wet markets in Medan, suggesting a potential threat of transmission to humans nearby.