Monitoring of Leptospira species diversity in freshwater bathing area and in rats in Paris, France.

ABSTRACT

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution caused by bacterial pathogenic Leptospira. Rodents are considered as the main reservoir of Leptospira and transmission usually occurs through exposure to urine-contaminated environment. However, interactions between environment, rodent reservoir and human leptospirosis remain poorly studied. Here, we evaluated the concentration of Leptospira in surface water and captured rats in the city of Paris (France) from 2018 to 2020 using an integrity qPCR (Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction). All environmental samples (n = 1031) were positive for saprophytic Leptospira but pathogenic Leptospira P1 group were only found in 40% (n = 363; 2018) to 0% (n = 264; 2020) of samples. In the same time, analysis of 200 brown rat corpses trapped in the city, showed about 15% of positivity for Leptospira but the different method used for rats conservation (based on presence or absence of conservative agent) showed important variations in the Leptospira prevalence. Metagenomic analysis, based on rrs gene sequencing, was also carried out to evaluate the distribution of Leptospira in samples. Results could indicate that some species of Leptospira are found in surface waters as well as rats, but further study is needed to accurately describe the nature of the link between these two reservoirs. Quantification of Leptospira and pathogenic species description circulating inside animal reservoir living in the vicinity of freshwater in urban areas, will be helpful to understand the eco-epidemiology of leptospirosis and to establish prevention and intervention strategies, especially in the context of organization of recreative activity events in these urban areas.