Frequency of and risk factors associated to Leptospira spp. seropositivity in goats in the state of Sergipe, Northeastern... Ciência Rural, v.47, n.7, 2017.
INTRODUCTIONLeptospirosis is a major public health problem in Brazil with an annual average rate of 3,780 human cases between 2000 and 2015, 9.6% (364) of which were lethal. In the country's Northeastern region and in the state of Sergipe, lethality is as high as 12.8% (87/681) and 24.1% (10.6/44), respectively (SINAN/SVS/MS, 2017a, b). Leptospirosis is caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Twenty-five serogroups and approximately 300 serovars belonging to 25 serogroups can infect domestic animals, wildlife, and humans. On rural properties, transmission occurs primarily via the urine of infected animals (GOMES, 2013;HIGINO & AZEVEDO, 2014). Accordingly, rural workers in Jamaica who have contact with goats have a 3.52 times higher chance of presenting symptoms of the disease (KEENAN et al., 2010).Goats usually present chronic infection, with a predominance of embryonic absorption, miscarriage, neonatal mortality, and hemorrhagic jaundice. In the acute form of the disease, a sudden onset of fever, anemia, jaundice, and hemoglobinuria occur, leading to death (MARTINS et al., 2012;HIGINO & AZEVEDO, 2014).In the Northeastern region of Brazil, surveys were performed in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará, Paraíba, and Pernambuco. The rate of seropositive goats based on the microscopic