Perfil dos cães sororreagentes para aglutininas anti-Leptospira interrogans em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 2001/2002 / Serological profile of seropositive dogs to anti-Leptospira interrogans agglutinins in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2001-2002

ABSTRACT

The serological profile of seropositive dogs according to anti-Leptospira agglutinins was checked in Belo Horizonte including variables such as race, sex, age and whether the dog had an owner or not. The dogs were captured by the Zoonosis Control Center in nine neighborhoods around the city and were separated in two categories - with owners or captured on the streets. The prevalence of anti-Leptospira agglutinins was evaluated in 3,417 blood samples using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) from September 2001 to September 2002. It was found that 13.1 percent of the dogs had seropositive results with the most reactive serovars being Canicola (7.0 percent), Ballum (6.1 percent), Pyrogenes (3.2 percent) and Icterohaemorrhagiae (2.9 percent). The prevalence of other serovars was less than 1.0 percent. Greater prevalence was found in male, crossbred dogs, without owners. There were no significant results due to age in 95 percent (P=0.808) of the cases. According to the results, more research should be done in order to isolate and classify the serovars in positive dogs, especially Ballum and Pyrogenes, which will suggest their inclusion in the commercial vaccines against leptospira used in dogs in this city