Grant: Operating Grant

Rats have been, and continue to be, the source of a number of zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible from animals to people) responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality in cities around the world. Despite evidence that rats are thriving in cities across Canada, there is a paucity of data on the threat that they may pose to human health. Within the City of Vancouver, the Downtown Eastside (DTES) is of particular concern with regard to rat-associated zoonoses because the age and low socioeconomic status of the neighbourhood is more likely to support significant rat populations compared to other parts of the city. Also, DTES residents, particularly indigent people, individuals with HIV, and IV drug users, are more likely to become exposed to and infected with rat-borne pathogens compared to other demographic groups. The overarching goal of this community-based, interdisciplinary study is to determine if rats pose a health risk for people living in Vancouver's DTES. Towards this end, we have designed a 3 part project with one part corresponding to each of our three main aims, which are: 1) to describe the ecology of DTES rat populations, 2) to characterize the epidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in these populations, and 3) to identify the prevalence of and risk factors associated with exposure to rat-associated pathogens in DTES residents. By studying the dynamics of rat-borne zoonoses in the DTES, we will be able to characterize the human health risks associated with urban rats and provide insight into how these risks can be monitored and mitigated to better protect human health, both locally and nationally.