Leptospirosis is a global zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. We sought to determine if rodents in U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are carriers of Leptospira. In total, 140 rodents were sampled, including 112 Mus musculus and 28 Rattus rattus. A positive carrier status was identified for 64/140 (45.7%); 49 (35.0%) were positive by dark-field microscopy, 60 (42.9%) by culture, 63 (45.0%) by fluorescent antibody testing, and 61 (43.6%) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR). Molecular typing indicated that 48 isolates were L. borgpetersenii and 3 were L. kirschneri; the remaining nine comprised mixed species. In the single culture-negative sample that was rtPCR positive, genotyping directly from the kidney identified L. interrogans. Serotyping of L. borgpetersenii isolates identified serogroup Ballum and L. kirschneri isolates as serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae. These results demonstrate that rodents are significant Leptospira carriers and adds to understanding the ecoepidemiology of leptospirosis in USVI.

Background The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) Department of Health (DOH) conducted a second Zika health brigade (ZHB) in 2021 to provide recommended Zika‐related pediatric health screenings, including vision, hearing, neurologic, and developmental screenings, for children in the USVI. This was replicated after the success of the first ZHB in 2018, which provided recommended Zika‐related pediatric health screenings to 88 infants and children exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) during pregnancy. Methods Ten specialty pediatric care providers were recruited and traveled to the USVI to conduct the screenings. USVI DOH scheduled appointments for children included in CDC's U.S. Zika Pregnancy and Infant Registry (USZPIR). During the ZHB, participants were examined by pediatric ophthalmologists, pediatric audiologists, and pediatric neurologists. We report the percentage of participants who were referred for additional follow‐up care or given follow‐up recommendations in the 2021 ZHB and compare these referrals and recommendations to those given in the 2018 ZHB. Results Thirty‐three children born to mothers with laboratory evidence of ZIKV infection during pregnancy completed screenings at the 2021 ZHB, of which 15 (45%) children were referred for additional follow‐up care. Ophthalmological screenings resulted in the highest number of new referrals for a specialty provider among ZHB participants, with 6 (18%) children receiving referrals for that specialty. Speech therapy was the most common therapy referral, with 10 (30%) children referred, of which 9 (90%) were among those who attended the 2018 ZHB. Conclusions Thirty‐three children in a jurisdiction with reduced access to healthcare specialists received recommended Zika‐related pediatric health screenings at the ZHB. New and continuing medical and developmental concerns were identified and appropriate referrals for follow‐up care and services were provided. The ZHB model was successful in creating connections to health services not previously received by the participants.