Wet Markets Research Articles

Nitrate Content in Root, Tuber, and Leafy Vegetables in Wet Markets in Hanoi: A Health Risk Assessment

Nitrate (NO3–) is a natural compound occurring in foods, especially plant produces, and are also used as additives in industrially processed foods. This study aims to assessing the nitrate contents and health risk in root, tuber, and leafy vegetables in several wet markets in Hanoi. The results showed that the mean nitrate concentration in root and tuber vegetables, herbs and leafy vegetables ranged from 59 to 1118 mg/kg, from 580 to 1204 mg/kg, and from 122 to 3600 mg/kg, respectively. NO3– content in some vegetables at the local market and supermarket were from 1.2 (green beans) to 2.4 times (cucumber) and from 1.4 (long wax gourd) to 3.7 times (radish) higher than World Health Organization (WHO) standards, respectively. The risk assessment of the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) results shows that the vegetable samples was 23% and 61% in the acceptable value according to WHO for children and adults, respectively. The Hazard Index (HI) shows that, the HI values of nitrate for all samples except for celery were < 1, indicating that health risks for adults associated with nitrate exposure were not significant. On the contrary, 70% of vegetable samples had HI > 1, suggesting adverse effects on children health that consume these vegetables.

Comparative analyses of bacterial contamination and microbiome of broiler carcasses in wet market and industrial processing environments

The slaughtering environment is crucial for the food hygiene and safety of poultry products. Despite the global dominance of industrial processing, live bird slaughtering in wet markets persists due to cultural, religious, and economic reasons. This study aims to reveal the correlation between hygiene scales in wet markets and bacterial contamination levels on broiler carcasses, with a particular focus on pathobiont transmission risks and microbiome characteristics. Wet markets were categorized based on home-made ratings and the Hygiene and Biosecurity Assessment Tool (HABT). The study assessed total aerobic bacterial (TAB) levels, food spoilage and hygiene indicators (Pseudomonas and E. coli), foodborne pathogen Salmonella, and the microbiome of broiler carcasses, intestinal contents, and slaughtering facilities. Comparative analyses were conducted between market and industrial processing environments. TAB levels on broiler carcasses showed a significant negative correlation with hygiene scores, indicating that both HABT and home-made rating tools effectively assess and improve processing hygiene. Industrial processing consistently reduced bacterial contamination compared to wet markets. Although Salmonella spp. prevalence was lower in market-processed carcasses, the study identified significant cross-transmission of pathobionts and variations in bacterial composition with hygiene improvements. Notably, the microbiome analysis revealed overlaps in amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) between carcasses and contamination vectors, highlighting pathobiont transmission risks. The present study confirmed the scales of hygiene standards among wet markets reflect bacterial contamination on broiler carcasses. Enhancing slaughter practices to meet industrial hygiene standards is essential for reducing the transmission of foodborne pathogens and pathobionts, and improving food safety.

Multimodal Hong Kong: a multisensory study of environmental perception of places through sight, sound, and smell

Despite the importance of soundscape and smellscape in intangible cultural heritage, little is known about multisensory interactions. To explore the impact of multiple senses on environmental perception, the present study focused on six stalls at Shek Kip Mei wet market in Hong Kong. In the first part of the study, an online survey collected perceptual ratings of whole, auditory, and visual environmental quality, as well as free-form responses of imaginations of smell. Participants (N = 36) were presented with 12 audiovisual captures where audio was either matched with video or mismatched. ANOVA was used to examine the influence of three independent factors - scenes, modes, and a priori valence groups - on the ratings. The imagined smells were analysed through frequency counts of keywords. The results demonstrate participants' capacity to notice changes in audio modes and to perceive the environment through the recognition of scene context and multisensory interactions. In the second part of the study, not discussed in the present paper, we will extend this experimental method to include smells in a laboratory setting. We discuss the importance of understanding multisensory interactions between sight, sound, and smell for environmental perceptions and Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage and urban studies.

Exploring the Design Framework for Food Waste Recycling Awareness in Chow Kit Wet Market

Exploring the Design Framework for Food Waste Recycling Awareness in Chow Kit Wet Market

Prediction of COVID-19 Patients using Machine Learning Algorithms

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-COV2), has caused widespread concern for public health worldwide. Based on its rapid spread among those exposed to the wet animal market in Wuhan, China, the city was identified as its origin. The symptoms, reactions, and rates of recovery observed in coronavirus patients around the world have varied. The number of sufferers continues to grow at an exponential rate, and some countries are currently dealing with the third wave. Since the most effective treatment for this disease has yet to be established, early discovery of probable COVID-19 patients can help isolate them socially, slowing the spread and flattening the curve This study examines current research on coronavirus disease and its impact across age groups. We evaluate the effectiveness of Decision Tree (DT), and Logistic Regression (LR) in detecting COVID-19 in patients based on symptoms. A dataset from a public repository was pre-processed before applying Machine Learning (ML) techniques to it. The results show that all ML algorithms are effective in identifying COVID-19 in potential patients. DT classifiers have the highest accuracy of 98.70%, while SVM, KNN, and LR algorithms achieve 93.60%, 93.50%, and 92.80%, respectively.

Effectiveness of Nonchlorine Sanitizer in Reducing Pathogens of Wet Market Poultry Settings

Effectiveness of Nonchlorine Sanitizer in Reducing Pathogens of Wet Market Poultry Settings

Characterization of Liquid Organic Fertilizer (LOF) Derived from Unmarketable Vegetables and Fruits

The Malaysian government has been challenged with handling unmarketable vegetables and fruit waste that pollutes the environment and emits greenhouse gases, mainly methane and nitrous oxide. These greenhouse gases have been contributing to climate change. In contrast, these wastes consist of high moisture and readily biodegradable nutrients that can serve as the perfect substrate rate for fermentation. The valuable nutrients contained in these wastes can produce liquid organic fertilizers (LOF), which help improve the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and reduce the demand for inorganic fertilizers and costs to farmers. In this regard, a study was conducted to produce and characterize LOF derived from unmarketable vegetables and fruit waste. The waste was identified from the nearest wet market, collected, and incubated in containers with a ratio of 1: 2: 0.1 (10 kg unmarketable vegetable and food waste: 20 L water: 1 kg inducer) for 30, 45, and 60 days. The unmarketable vegetables and fruits were fermented using three different types of inducers: yeast (Y), brown sugar (BS), and shrimp paste (SP). Unmarketable vegetables and fruit waste with no inducer were also included as a control. Samples from the produced LOF were taken after 30, 45, and 60 days of fermentation, filtered, and subjected to analysis for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), macro-, and micronutrients. These experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The highest nitrogen (0.95%), phosphorus (0.31%), potassium (1.68%), copper (0.23 ppm), and manganese (9.03 ppm) were obtained from LOF fermented for 60 days using yeast, indicating that it improved the nutrient availability of agricultural waste. Moreover, this treatment provided optimum pH and EC values for the growth and development of plants. Thus, LOF derived from unmarketable vegetable and fruit waste can be considered an attractive alternative for supplementing chemical fertilizers.

Growth Patterns, Status of Well-Being and Trend Analysis of Three Commercially Important Clupeid Species from Selangor Landing Port

Length-weight relationships (LWRs) and condition factors are vital to quickly understanding the fitness and well-being of fish. There is currently no available evidence on LWRs, condition factors and landing trend for these three species and an absence of this information will result in improper management and monitoring of fish species. In this study, the growth patterns, status of well-being and trend analysis of commercially important clupeid species from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia were studied. Sardinella lemuru, Amblygaster sirm and Nematalosa japonica were selected due to high commercial value and conservation status. S. lemuru was specifically categorized as near threatened by the IUCN with decreasing global populations. Total length (cm) and body weight (g) of S. lemuru, A. sirm and N. japonica were accounted for in this study, which was obtained from the wet market in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The relationships between length and, weight and, condition factors (Fulton’s, KF; relative condition factor, Kn; Allometric) were assessed. The allometric equation; W = aLb was used to evaluate the length-weight relationships while KF = 100W/Lb and Kn = W/aLb were used to estimate fish condition factor. ARIMA (1,1,1) and ARIMA (0,1,0) models were utilised to forecast the fish landing pattern until 2030. The results showed that the coefficient of determination R2 values varied between 0.263 (Sardinella lemuru), 0.5187 (Amblygaster sirm) and 0.8443 (Nematalosa japonica) and b values ranged from 0.0959 to 2.1005. From this, all three fish species have shown a negative allometric growth pattern b<3, reflecting a relatively slow growth rate and size of fish. No positive allometry was detected for any of the sampled fish species. A low value of relative condition factor (Kn < 1) suggests that all the fish species in this study have poor physical characteristics due to inadequate food resources, and unsuitable habitats for expansion of the fish population. Prediction based on Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model showed that N. japonica would increase gradually in the coming years, while S. lemuru would remain constant. This study contributes to the knowledge base for S. lemuru, A. sirm and N. japonica in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and is crucial in terms of understanding the ecology of the habitat for supporting conservation strategies, and the restoration and management of these species in future.

Vegetable pricing and replenishment decisions based on the optimization model

Vegetables are one of the essential foods in human daily life. Due to the short shelf life, it is difficult to preserve, the supermarket needs to timely and reasonable purchases and pricing. This paper aims to establish a model that can predict vegetable price fluctuations and develop reasonable pricing and replenishment strategies. According to the data given from a wet market, this paper studies the pricing and replenishment decisions of supermarket vegetables. By establishing the SARIMA model and Markov forecast model, the wholesale price of the same project on July 1 is calculated based on the wholesale price forecast of the previous week, and reasonable market demand is predicted. It is found that the predicted results have a reasonable error with the actual situation, and the accuracy is relatively high. The establishment of these two models is of great significance for market regulation. The model has good predictability and practical value, with good dynamic predictive ability, suitable for a reasonable allocation of resources in supermarkets and other trading places to obtain maximum benefit.

Identification of Mites in Wild Rats in Simpang Limun Traditional Wet Market Area, Medan - Indonesia

Background: Among human diseases are infectious diseases transmitted by animals to humans, called zoonoses. Rats carry ectoparasites that act as biological vectors in the transmission of zoonoses. Mites are ectoparasites of rats that cause various zoonoses, namely murine typhus, rat mite dermatitis, and others. The study aims to identify species of wild rats in the study area based on their morphology and presentation of mite-infected rats and mite species in wild rats in Simpang Limun traditional wet market in Medan, Indonesia. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a purposive sampling technique. Primary data were collected in the Simpang Limun traditional wet market area of Medan, namely in the first area; M. Nawi Harahap Street, and the second area; Kemiri I Street. Every afternoon for four consecutive days, ten baited rat traps were deployed in each area. The captured rats were anesthetized, identified, and examined for mites by combing and then identified under a microscope. Results: From 65 total wild rat samples, the majority of species found was Rattus tanezumi 60 (92.3%), followed by Rattus norvegicus 5 (7.7%). The identified mite species were Laelaps echidninus (84.5%) and Laelaps nuttalli (15.5%). Conclusion: Nearly all of the wild rats found were of Rattus tanezumab species, and the most common mite species identified was Laelaps echinus in Medan's Simpang Limun traditional wet market area. This has a significant medical impact, resulting in increased potential for zoonosis transmission and indirectly to the surrounding residents in Medan's Simpang Limun traditional wet market area.

The hidden strength of small business: Social networks and wet market vendors in China

AbstractThroughout contemporary China, consumers have the option of purchasing food products from “traditional” Chinese wet markets or “modern” supermarket chains. Wet market vendors are economically disadvantaged as the operators of small‐scale businesses with limited investment and high labor costs. Nevertheless, wet market vendors continue to thrive in urban China, despite the continued expansion of supermarket chains. This article combines ethnographic data and social network analysis to examine how social networks provide wet market vendors with some important competitive advantages. The article draws on fourteen months of fieldwork in Sanya City, China, and provides an analysis of the composition, structure, and strength of the network ties of 113 wet market vendors. Vendors tend to have strong and dense ties to individuals who help them establish their businesses. Vendors also rely on strong ties with regular suppliers to help them reduce costs and ensure a regular supply of goods. These strong ties are balanced by weaker ties with a diverse range of customers, including small businesses and household consumers. A combination of both strong and weak network ties contributes to the collective resilience of wet market vendors, allowing them to confront crises, reduce risk and uncertainty, and improve performance.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of major foodborne pathogens isolated from pangas and tilapia fish sold in retail markets of Dhaka city, Bangladesh

Fish sold at retail markets are often contaminated with harmful bacterial pathogens, posing significant health risks. Despite the growing aquaculture industry in Bangladesh to meet high demand, little attention has been paid to ensuring the safety of fish. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of tilapia and pangas fish sold in retail markets across Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Specifically, the study aimed to compare the quality of fish from traditional wet markets and modern supermarkets, as well as fish samples collected during morning and evening hours. A total of 500 raw cut-fish samples (250 tilapia and 250 pangas) were collected at the point of sale from 32 wet markets and 25 supermarkets. All samples were tested for Escherichia coli, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli (ESBL-Ec), along with the foodborne pathogens Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Cryptosporidium spp. Bacterial isolates were characterized using antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST) and the presence of common virulence and antibiotic-resistant genes. Fish samples from retail markets had higher prevalence of tested bacteria including E. coli (92 %), V. cholerae (62 %), ESBL-Ec (48 %), and Salmonella spp. (24 %). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of E. coli (97 % vs. 71 %), ESBL-Ec (58 % vs. 8 %) and Salmonella spp. (28 % vs. 8 %) on the wet market samples compared to supermarket samples (p < 0.005). The mean concentration of E. coli on fish from the wet market was 3.0 ± 0.9 log10 CFU/g, while that from supermarkets was 1.6 ± 0.9 log10 CFU/g. The mean concentration of ESBL-Ec in fish from wet markets and supermarkets were 2.3 ± 0.8 log10 CFU/g and 1.6 ± 0.5 log10 CFU/g, respectively. AST revealed that 46 % of E. coli isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR), while 4 %, 2 % and 5 % of E. coli, Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. isolates, respectively, were resistant to carbapenems. At least 3 % of total E. coli isolates were found to be diarrheagenic, while 40 % of Salmonella isolates harbored pathogenic genes (stn, bcfC, ssaQ, avrA and sodC1), and none of the V. cholerae isolates harbored ctxA and tcpA. Our research shows that raw-cut fish samples from retail markets are contaminated with pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could be a significant food safety concern. Public health interventions should be implemented to improve food safety and hygiene practices in the retail fish markets.

The utilization of remote sensing to monitor the spatio-temporal covid-19 outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia

The coronavirus cluster was first discovered in a wet market in Wuhan, China on December 31 2019 to be exact. The Covid-19 virus or in medical terms it is called the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) spread so fast that it was recorded in June 2021 the Covid-19 virus has infected 178 million worldwide with 3.9 million confirmed deaths. The Covid-19 virus was detected for the first time entering Indonesia on March 2 2020. Spatiotemporal studies are important to do to provide insight into how a pandemic occurs and develops. This study aims to examine Covid-19 spatio-temporally from 2020-2021, calculate the number of victims and calculate the CFR value of Covid-19 in 2020-2021 in DKI Jakarta. The results of this study indicate that the number of positive victims of the Covid-19 virus has continued to increase from April 2020 to December 2021. Meanwhile, the case fatality rate has continued to decline since the beginning of the pandemic until December 2021.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from the chicken liver in relation to slaughterhouse conditions

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) has been identified as a sub-group of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Recent studies indicate APEC as a potential foodborne zoonotic pathogen and a source or reservoir of human extraintestinal infections. The slaughtering and processing of poultry in low-income countries such as Jordan occurs in two distinct ways: in informal facilities known as Natafat and in formal slaughterhouses. This study compared E. coli phenotypes and genotypes according to slaughtering conditions (formal slaughterhouses vs. informal slaughter facilities). Therefore, liver samples (n = 242) were collected from formal (n = 121) and informal slaughter facilities (n = 121). Results revealed a high prevalence (94.2%) of E. coli among all isolates, with 59 (17 formal and 42 informal) isolates considered avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) based on the virulence-associated genes. The prevalence of resistance among isolates was relatively high, reaching up to 99% against penicillin and 97% against nalidixic acid. However, the prevalence of resistance was the lowest (1.3%) against both meropenem and imipenem. Based on the MIC test findings, colistin resistance was 46.9% (107/228). The mcr −1 gene prevalence was 51.4% (55/107), of which 17.1 % were from formal plants (6/36) and 68.1% from informal facilities (49/72). Interestingly, only one isolate (0.9%) expressed mcr-10. Escherichia coli O157:H7 and associated virulence genes were found more in informal (n = 15 genes) than in formal slaughterhouses (n = 8). Phylogroups B1, C, and A were the most frequent in 228 E. coli isolates, while G, B2, and clade were the least frequent. In conclusion, these findings highlight the importance of implementing biosecurity measures in slaughterhouses to reduce antibiotic-resistant E. coli spread. Furthermore, this study provides valuable insights into the effects of wet market (Natafat) slaughter conditions on increasing bacterial resistance and virulence.

Growth performance and heavy metal analysis of Oreochromis niloticus fed with phycoremediate microalgae supplemented diet formulation

The rising demand for fish as the primary protein source for human consumption is a continuous challenge to meet. Modern-day studies have exploited microalgae as an alternative plant-protein source to replace fishmeal. However, it is critical to protect the fish culture from toxic metal accumulation, which is dangerous to both the organisms and consumers. Hence, this research aimed to study the effects of using microalgae bioproducts on the growth performance and heavy metal accumulation in the muscle tissue of Oreochromis niloticus. In this study, 2% of Scenedesmus sp. cultivated in Bold Basal Medium and wet market wastewater was partially substituted to replace fishmeal. The physicochemical properties of formulated feed were analyzed and compared between control, formulation 1 and formulation 2. The fish were cultured for 12 weeks, and their weight gain was monitored weekly using an analytical balance. The muscle tissue samples were collected and digested using 37% HCl and 65% HNO₃. As a result, the growth performance of the fish in formulations 1 and 2 showed a positive trend and a higher average growth rate of up to 43.38 and 44.85 g, respectively. The effect of seven heavy metals, such as zinc, iron, copper, lead, mercury, manganese, and cadmium, on the fish was analyzed using the Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) technique. An analysis of variance indicated a significant difference (p &lt; 0.05) for zinc, copper, iron, lead, and mercury concentrations but not for manganese and cadmium (p &gt; 0.05). It can be deduced that the inclusion of 2% Scenedesmus sp. in the diet formulation results in a minor variation in fish growth performance. However, this could contribute to maintaining and improving the growth rate of O. niloticus and the concentration of heavy metals in their muscle tissue. Continuous examination of heavy metal accumulation in fish is necessary to ensure the safeness and nutritional quality are adequate for human consumption.

First record of Caligusdussumieri Rangnekar, 1957 (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Caligidae) from Malaysia, with notes on caligids found from Malaysia and on host-specificity of caligids on lutjanid fishes.

In total, 14 species of Caligus have been reported from Malaysia. Amongst them, four species are reported from lutjanid fishes. Caligusdussumieri Rangnekar, 1957 is reported from Malabar snapper, Lutjanusmalabaricus, purchased from a local wet market in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. This is the first record of this species in Malaysia and it is only the second species assigned to the bonito-group of the genus Caligus to be reported from Malaysia. A key to species of the bonito-group is presented herein. The list of caligids infecting lutjanid fishes and the geographical distributions plus the known hosts of members of the bonito-group of Caligus are discussed.

Microplastics Isolated from Saltwater Clam Paratapes undulatus from Wet Market at Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Plastic waste has become a serious environmental threat because of large scale demand and poor disposal methods. Microplastics, defined defined as plastic waste with a diameter spanning from 5 mm to 1 μm, may easily enter the ocean and cumulatively ingested by marine life, which will eventually be consumed by humans. The goal of this study is to determine the types of microplastic that can be found in the saltwater clam Paratapes undulatus collected in Kuala Selangor, a fishery hub in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 30 P. undulatus samples were collected and the soft tissue inside was dissected and digested using NaOH. The digestates were then vacuum-filtered to obtain the microplastics. Microplastics were identified based on their physical characteristics under microscopic examination (colour, shape and size). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the polymers based on the functional group of the plastics’ molecular structure. A total of 2,072 microplastic particles were isolated from all clam samples. In terms of colour and shape, the majority of microplastics were black (64.48 %) and in the form of fibres (97.2 %). Most of the microplastic particles had sizes ranging from 0.5 to 1 µm and 1 to 2 µm. Polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were two common polymers. This study indicates that clams harvested off the coast Kuala Selangor may be contaminated with microplastics from their habitat. More research is needed to assess the toxicity and potential threat of microplastics to human health when consuming seafood.

How Should Wet Market Practices Be Regulated to Curb Zoonotic Disease Transmission?

Consumption and trade of wild animals presents major zoonotic disease transmission risks. Policies that aim to limit these practices must balance environmental health against the fact that trade and consumption of wild animals are important sources of livelihood and food security for many people. This commentary on a case suggests how public health threats posed by the wild animal trade, wet markets, and bushmeat practices might guide policies and actions of relevant stakeholders. A One Health approach is offered to navigate competing interests and balance ethical concerns.

The choice of prawn or shrimp? Lesson from consumer preferences and price acceptance in the Bangladesh wet fish market

In order to satisfy consumer demand, prawn and shrimp produced in Bangladesh is consumed both at domestic and foreign markets. To analyze the factors influencing consumers' preferences and their willingness to pay for the quality attributes of prawn and shrimp, this study uses a logistic regression and a hedonic price model. A dataset of 350 consumers from wet fish markets in four distinct metropolitan cities of Bangladesh is used for the analysis. It is found that price, size of the crustaceans, perception of safety, household size, number of children at home, number of schooling years, and the respondents' monthly income explain why they choose prawn over shrimp. In addition, they pay more for four distinct characteristics of prawn; sizes, taste, fresh and brownish color, while pay less for frozen and an additional kilogram of prawn. On the other hand, shrimp are typically chosen in bicolor and the smallest three size classes, and cost less when purchased frozen. The policy is that the proper authorities should monitor and implement training programs for the respective officials and the stakeholders of prawn and shrimp value chain etc. over the total marketing system to ensure the food safety issues. Significance and novel advance to the field of aquaculture•The study is novel in that it simultaneously addresses two of the issues regarding consumer preferences for prawn and shrimp and their acceptability.•The study first identify the factors drive the probability of consumers buy of prawn and then the quality attributes of prawn and shrimp that receives price premium.•The study suggests that the proper authorities should monitor and implement training programs for the respective officials and the stakeholders of prawn and shrimp value chain etc. over the total marketing system to ensure the food safety issues.

Leptospira infection and carrier survey on rats from wet market areas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Background &amp; objectives: Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic infection that has caused significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. This disease is endemic in Malaysia and as a developing tropical country, leptospirosis is concerning as it threatens Malaysian public health and the country’s economic sectors. However, there is limited information on leptospirosis in Malaysia, especially regarding leptospiral seroepidemiology among carriers in Malaysia. Therefore, more epidemiological information on the source of the disease and reservoir are needed for better disease control and source intervention. The objectives of this study are to gather information on Leptospira infection and the carrier status of rats captured from selected wet markets of Kuala Lumpur metropolitan city in Malaysia. Methods: Live rat trappings were performed in four major wet markets in Kuala Lumpur, namely, Pudu, Chow Kit, Datuk Keramat, and Petaling Street. Animal samplings were performed for 12 months in 2017, where blood and kidney samples were collected and tested for anti-leptospiral antibodies via Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) and pathogenic Leptospira screening via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification offlaB gene. Results: MAT showed that 34.7% (n = 50/144) of the captured rats were positive for anti-leptospiral antibody of which the most prominent serovar was Malaya followed by a local strain, IMR LEP 175. In parallel, 50 rats were also positive for pathogenic Leptospira DNA. Interpretation &amp; conclusion: This study showed that there are persistent Leptospira infections among rats in Kuala Lumpur wet markets and these rats are important reservoir hosts for the bacteria.