Spatial Owner-Dog Seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. Antibodies in Oceanic Islands and Costal Mainland of Southern Brazil

Abstract

Leptospirosis has been described as a disease neglected worldwide. Affecting humans and animals, the disease is often related to poor environmental conditions such as lack of sanitation and presence of synanthropic rodents. Despite being considered as a One Health issue, no study has focused on comparing owner–dog seroprevalence between islands and seashore mainland. Accordingly, the present study assessed anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies by applying microscopic agglutination test (MAT) methods to Leptospira and assessing associated risk factors via univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis of owners and their dogs in islands and seashore mainland of southern Brazil. No anti-Leptospira spp. Seropositivity was found in 330 owner serum samples, while dogs presented an overall seroprevalence of 5.9%. All seropositive dogs reacted to serogroups of Leptospira interrogans, including 66.7% of Pyrogenes, 44.4% Canicola, 22.2% Icterohaemorrhagiae, 16.7% Australis; six reacted to more than one serogroup. No association was found among seropositivity and epidemiological variables, except that neighborhood dogs were less likely to be seropositive. Although no seropositivity was observed in owners, seropositivity in dogs had the potential to indicate such species as being sentinels for environmental exposure and potential human risk of infection.

One Health Approach to Leptospirosis: Human–Dog Seroprevalence Associated to Socioeconomic and Environmental Risk Factors in Brazil over a 20-Year Period (2001–2020)

“…In addition, the WHO has called for studies focused on the One Health Initiative, combining human, animal, and environmental health in a holistic approach to zoonotic diseases [ 6 ]. In such a scenario, a One Health approach may be required for leptospirosis for comprehensive understanding of pathogen occurrence and dynamics and associated social and economic risk factors of affected populations, as recently reported in Brazilian seashore and oceanic islands [ 7 ].…”