Abstract
BACKGROUND: Small mammals such as rats and bats are important animal reservoirs of various zoonotic diseases of public health importance. The potential of rats and bats as a reservoir of leptospirosis and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Muna Regency remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the presence of Leptospira spp and JE virus (JEV) in rats and bats in Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province.
 
 METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in three districts, namely Kabawo, Batalaiworu, and Katobu. Bats and rats were caught in six ecosystems spread across the three districts. Serological (Microscopic Agglutination Test, MAT) and molecular examinations (Polymerase Chain Reactions, PCR) were performed to detect Leptospira spp. and JEV in rats and bats, respectively. 
 
 RESULTS: A total of 137 rats from seven species were successfully caught, namely Mus sp., Rattus argentiventer, R. nitidus, R. exulans, R. hoffmanni, R. norvegicus, and R. tanezumi. Of which, six species were confirmed positive for Leptospira spp by PCR, with the highest prevalence was found in R. argentiventer (50%) and R. tanezumi (36.4%). Meanwhile, a total of 86 bats were also successfully captured. The JEV antibody was detected in D. viridis, R. celebensis and S. wallacei. 
 
 CONCLUSION: Rats and bats are the potential reservoirs of leptospirosis and JE in Muna Regency. Most importantly, the study provides the first evidence of JE reservoirs (R. celebensis and S. wallacei) in Sulawesi. Surveillance of leptospirosis and JE are recommended. 
Highlights
Zoonoses are diseases transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans through food, air, and direct contact
Six species were confirmed positive for Leptospira spp by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with the highest prevalence was found in R. argentiventer (50%) and R. tanezumi (36.4%)
The JE virus (JEV) antibody was detected in D. viridis, R. celebensis and S. wallacei
Summary
Zoonoses are diseases transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans through food (foodborne), air (airborne), and direct contact. Indonesia is an archipelago country biogeographically located between two animal distribution regions in the world, namely the Orientalis and Australia (Kirnowardoyo, 1991). The previous studies reported that rats are believed as important zoonotic reservoirs for leptospirosis, hantavirus, typhus scrub, murine typhus, spotted fever group rickettsia, plague, schistosomiasis, rabies, and several other diseases in Indonesia (Ibrahim, 2005). Small mammals such as rats and bats are important animal reservoirs of various zoonotic diseases of public health importance. This study aimed to determine the presence of Leptospira spp and JE virus (JEV) in rats and bats in Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province
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