Pathogenic Leptospira and water quality in African cities: A case study of Cotonou, Benin

Houemenou, Honoré; Gauthier, Philippe; Houémènou, Gualbert; Mama, Daouda; Alassane, Abdoukarim; Socohou, Akilou; Dossou, Henri-Joël; Badou, Sylvestre; Picardeau, Mathieu; Tweed, Sarah; Leblanc, Marc; Dobigny, Gauthier

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145541

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Accordingly, pathogenic leptospires were recently detected in Agla and Ladji ponds and wells (Houéménou et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Keeping in mind that a few dozen infected rats may shed thousands of millions of leptospires per day (Costa et al, 2015), our results in Cotonou show that, in fine , small mammals represent a potentially massive source of excreted leptospires into the urban environment. Accordingly, pathogenic leptospires were recently detected in Agla and Ladji ponds and wells (Houéménou et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, some observations were made at the scale of cities and villages of South Benin where prevalence peaks indeed seem to occur during, or 1 month after moderate (100–200 mm) monthly rainfall (Houéménou et al, 2019). Though based on a limited amount of leptospire‐positive water samples collected in Cotonou, isotopic signatures also suggested that leptospires were essentially detected in pond waters formed at the beginning of the rainy season following low to moderate rainfall events (Houéménou et al, 2021). In the present study, very high prevalence was observed during March 2018, where rainfall was moderate though atypically precocious during this particular year (Table 1 and Figure 2).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fine‐scale prevalence and genetic diversity of urban small mammal‐borne pathogenic Leptospira in Africa: A spatiotemporal survey within Cotonou, Benin

Dossou

Guyader

Gauthier

et al. 2022

Zoonoses and Public Health

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Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that is caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Around the world, one million people each year are infected, leading to 60,000 deaths. Infection occurs through contact with environmental pathogens excreted by mammals (notably rodents). Data on Leptospira and leptospirosis in Africa are rather scarce, especially in urban habitats though these appear to be favourable environments for the pathogen circulation and human contamination. Using qPCR, DNA sequencing as well as MST/VNTR approaches, we examined Leptospira occurrence and genetic diversity in 779 commensal small mammals that were sampled over 2 years in the city centre of Cotonou, Benin, from three neighbourhoods with contrasting socio‐environmental conditions. Overall prevalence reached 9.1%. However, very marked variations in both space and time were observed, with local peaks of high prevalence but no clear seasonal pattern. In most sites that could be regularly sampled, Leptospira‐positive rodents were found at least once, thus confirming the widespread circulation of the pathogen within small mammal communities of Cotonou. Interestingly, an unusual diversity of small mammal‐borne Leptospira species and genotypes was retrieved, with up to four species and three different genovars within the same neighbourhood, and even instances of two species and two genovars identified simultaneously within the same household. To our knowledge, such a high genetic diversity has never been described at such a fine scale, a fortiori in Africa and, more generally, within an urban environment. Altogether, our results underline that much remains unknown about leptospirosis as well as the associated infectious risk in African cities where the disease may be massively over‐looked.

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“…Accordingly, pathogenic leptospires were recently detected in Agla and Ladji ponds and wells (Houéménou et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fine‐scale prevalence and genetic diversity of urban small mammal‐borne pathogenic Leptospira in Africa: A spatiotemporal survey within Cotonou, Benin

Dossou

Guyader

Gauthier

et al. 2022

Zoonoses and Public Health

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“…The area has largely been developed without any formal urban planning, and basic public services are lacking. We chose to sample in this area because it contains free‐ranging livestock, and preliminary research has detected Leptospira in rodents (Houéménou et al., 2019 ) and water sources (Houéménou et al., 2021 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A model developed by Costa et al (2015) has suggested that Benin is among the top 10 countries most impacted by leptospirosis, given its high degree of estimated disease incidence (as many as 2800 cases and 200 deaths per year) compared to the other 29 stratum D countries identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Recent studies have shown that pathogenic leptospires are broadly circulating in Cotonou, Benin's largest city and economic capital, with prevalence ranging from 12.9% to 18.9% in rodents (Houéménou et al, 2013(Houéménou et al, , 2019(Houéménou et al, , 2021 and seroprevalence reaching 54.7% in abattoir workers (n = 503) (Koundé & Zohoun, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence and renal carriage of pathogenic Leptospira in livestock in Cotonou, Benin

Her,

Crespin,

Etougbétché

et al. 2024

Veterinary Medicine & Sci

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BackgroundLeptospirosis is a zoonotic disease. It is particularly prevalent in tropical countries and has major consequences for human and animal health. In Benin, the disease's epidemiology remains poorly understood, especially in livestock, for which data are lacking.ObjectivesTo characterise Leptospira seroprevalence and locally circulating serogroups in livestock from Cotonou and to estimate the prevalence of Leptospira renal carriage in cattle.MethodsWe conducted a cross‐sectional study in February 2020 during which livestock were sampled at an abattoir and in an impoverished city district. We analysed blood samples from 279 livestock animals (i.e. cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) using the microscopic agglutination test. Additionally, samples of renal tissue from 100 cattle underwent 16s rRNA (rrs) real‐time PCR analysis.ResultsFor the 131 cattle, 85 sheep, and 50 goats tested, seroprevalence was 18% (95% confidence interval [CI] [12%, 26%]), 9% (95% CI [4%, 17%] and 2% (95% CI [0%, 9%]), respectively, and most of the seropositive animals were associated with 1:100 titres. All 13 pigs were seronegative. Leptospira DNA was found in the renal tissue of 10% (95% CI [5%, 18%]) of the cattle tested (n = 100). Leptospira borgpetersenii was the main species present (n = 7), but Leptospira interrogans (n = 2) and Leptospira kirschneri (n = 1) were also detected. Various serogroups (Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Sejroe, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, Pyrogenes, Australis and Autumnalis) were detected using microscopic agglutination test without a clear predominance of any of them.ConclusionsThese results suggest that abattoir workers and people living in close contact with livestock in poor urban areas are exposed to the risk of Leptospira infection.

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Pathogenic Leptospira contamination in the environment: a systematic review

Sayanthi,

Susanna

2024

Infection Ecology & Epidemiology

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Background The pathogenic Leptospira is maintained in renal tubules of certain animals, mostly rodents, and excreted in the urine which can contaminate the environment. It is necessary to detect pathogenic Leptospira in environmental samples. Knowing the survival of Leptospira in the environment (water and soil) can provide an overview of where and how they can be transmitted to humans. Objective Therefore, this study aimed to provide a systematic overview of pathogenic Leptospira presence in water and soil environment, the various species of pathogenic Leptospira that are harmful for human, and the ability to survive using a systematic review method. Methods The search process used four databases: PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and ProQuest. Furthermore, the articles sought were published from 2000 to July 2021, and 38 were analysed. Results The pathogenic Leptospira contamination in water was higher in urban areas, while soil samples were higher in rural areas. Various pathogenic Leptospira detected in the environment were L. alstonii, L. kmetyi, L. noguchii, and L. interrogans. Those pathogenic Leptospira can survive in water at 4–30°C and at pH < 7; in soil, it can survive at a humidity of < 20% and a pH < 6. Conclusion Urban and rural areas have the same risk for leptospirosis disease because pathogenic Leptospira (P1).

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Pathogenic Leptospira and water quality in African cities: A case study of Cotonou, Benin

Cited by 4 publications

References 34 publications

Fine‐scale prevalence and genetic diversity of urban small mammal‐borne pathogenic Leptospira in Africa: A spatiotemporal survey within Cotonou, Benin

Fine‐scale prevalence and genetic diversity of urban small mammal‐borne pathogenic Leptospira in Africa: A spatiotemporal survey within Cotonou, Benin

Seroprevalence and renal carriage of pathogenic Leptospira in livestock in Cotonou, Benin

Pathogenic Leptospira contamination in the environment: a systematic review

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