Leptospira seroprevalence in owned dogs from Spain

Abstract

Leptospira is a widespread zoonosis that has been linked to transmission between dogs and humans. The main purposes were to determine the seroprevalence of anti- Leptospira serum antibody and to identify the most common serovars in dogs in Spain. This is a cross-sectional study with 1,310 records of canine Leptospira testing data from Spain since 2015 to 2017. Inclusion criteria were individual cases with MAT test results for 8 serovars (Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis, Pomona, Grippotyphosa, Autumnalis, Canicola and Saxkoebing) and to have the zip code data. Three hundred and thirty-eight samples (25.8%; 95%CI 23.6–28.4) were seropositive (≥1:100). According to geographic areas, North had the highest seroprevalence (38.0%; 95%CI 28.9–47.1) followed by South (29.4%; 95%CI 20.1–38.8), Center (28.6%; 95%CI 24.3–33.0), Mediterranean (22.3%; 95%CI 19.1–25.6) and Northwest (22.2%; 95%CI 7.9–36.4). Seropositivity (MAT ≥1:100) was most common to serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae (19.4%; 95%CI 17.2–21.5) and Bratislava (8.5%; 95%CI 7.0–10.0), followed by Grippotyphosa (7.2%; 95%CI 5.8–8.6), Australis (6.4%; 95%CI 5.0–7.7), Autumnalis (5.0%; 95%CI 3.8–6.2), Pomona (4.5%; 95%CI 3.3–5.6), Canicola (3.4%; 95%CI 2.4–4.4) and Saxkoebing (0.8%; 95%CI 0.3–1.3). An association was found between positivity (MAT ≥1:100) and males (P = 0.003) and dogs that were 6 years old or older were at higher risk of exposure (P = 0.001; OR 4.61; 95%CI 1.86–11.43). This study has shown that dogs in Spain are commonly exposed to Leptospira infection and points out the necessity to control the prevalence of this severe widespread zoonosis in dogs and humans.

Leptospira Detection in Cats in Spain by Serology and Molecular Techniques

“…A cross-sectional epidemiological Leptospira study was recently conducted in dogs from Spain [43]; however, serovars from serogroups Ballum, Bataviae, and Cynopteri, were not part of the diagnostic panel, unlike our study of cats which included them. Antibodies against serovars of these serogroups were present in the cats of our study.…”

Leptospiral shedding and seropositivity in shelter dogs in the Cumberland Gap Region of Southeastern Appalachia

“…Most of the MAT positive sera were reactive to serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, followed by serovars Bratislava and Autumnalis. These three serovars have previously been isolated from dogs [39,41]. Association between Icterohaemorrhagiae and rodents is well documented [42].…”

Case Report: Fatal Human Leptospirosis Caused by Leptospira interrogans Genotype ST149

“…On the other hand, ST149 is not a frequently reported genotype among dogs. 8 However, Leptospira genotype ST149 obtained from the deceased shared similar sequence typing (ST) with Leptospira interrogans serovar Bataviae strain LepIMR 22, 9 a * Address correspondence to Mohan Rao, Leptospirosis Reference Laboratory, Bacteriology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. E-mail: rao.mohan@moh.gov.my persistently found serovar in the urban rat populations in Malaysia.…”