Prevalence, genetic diversity and eco-epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira species in small mammal communities in urban parks Lyon city, France.

Rodents are recognized as the main reservoirs of Leptospira spp. Rats, in particular, serve as hosts for the widely predominant Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, found worldwide. Several studies have shown the importance of other reservoirs, such as mice or hedgehogs, which harbor other leptospires' serovars. Nevertheless, our knowledge of circulating Leptospira spp. in reservoirs other than rats remains limited. In this context, we proposed an eco-health approach to assess the health hazard associated with leptospires in urban green spaces, where contacts between human/small mammals and domestic animals are likely. We studied the prevalence, the diversity of circulating strains, and epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira species in small terrestrial mammal communities (rodents and shrews), between 2020-2022, in two parks in Lyon metropolis, France. Our study showed a significant carriage of Leptospira spp. in small terrestrial mammals in these parks and unveiled a global prevalence rate of 11.4%. Significant variations of prevalence were observed among the small mammal species (from 0 to 26.1%), with Rattus norvegicus exhibiting the highest infection levels (26.1%). We also observed strong spatio-temporal variations in Leptospira spp. circulation in its reservoirs. Prevalence seems to be higher in the peri-urban park and in autumn in 2021 and 2022. This is potentially due to differences in landscape, abiotic conditions and small mammal communities' composition. Our study suggests an important public health relevance of rats and in a lesser extent of other rodents (Apodemus spp., Clethrionomys glareolus and Mus musculus) as reservoirs of L. interrogans, with rodent species carrying specific serogroups/serovars. We also emphasize the potential hazard associated between the shrew Crocidura russula and L. kirschneri. Altogether, these results improve our knowledge about the prevalence of leptospirosis in an urban environment, which is an essential prerequisite for the implementation of prevention of associated risks.

Domestic dogs in indigenous Amazonian communities: Key players in Leptospira cycling and transmission?

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is the world's most common zoonotic disease. Mitigation and control rely on pathogen identification and understanding the roles of potential reservoirs in cycling and transmission. Underreporting and misdiagnosis obscure the magnitude of the problem and confound efforts to understand key epidemiological components. Difficulties in culturing hamper the use of serological diagnostics and delay the development of DNA detection methods. As a result, especially in complex ecosystems, we know very little about the importance of different mammalian host species in cycling and transmission to humans. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We sampled dogs from five indigenous Kichwa communities living in the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. Blood and urine samples from domestic dogs were collected to assess the exposure of these animals to Leptospira and to identify the circulating species. Microscopic Agglutination Tests with a panel of 22 different serovars showed anti-leptospira antibodies in 36 sampled dogs (75%), and 7 serogroups were detected. Two DNA-based detection assays revealed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in 18 of 19 dog urine samples (94.7%). Amplicon sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and SecY genes from 15 urine samples revealed genetic diversity within two of three different Leptospira species: noguchii (n = 7), santarosai (n = 7), and interrogans (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The high prevalence of antibodies and Leptospira DNA provides strong evidence for high rates of past and current infections. Such high prevalence has not been previously reported for dogs. These dogs live in the peridomestic environment in close contact with humans, yet they are free-ranging animals that interact with wildlife. This complex web of interactions may explain the diverse types of pathogenic Leptospira observed in this study. Our results suggest that domestic dogs are likely to play an important role in the cycling and transmission of Leptospira. Future studies in areas with complex ecoepidemiology will enable better parsing of the significance of genotypic, environmental, and host characteristics.

Detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in unconventional pets.

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by Leptospira spp. responsible for considerable impacts on the public and animal health. In the past two decades, non-domesticated species of pets (unconventional pets) have become popular. However, the role of these unconventional pets on maintaining diseases still unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to survey the presence of Leptospira spp. DNA in unconventional pets. Samples of kidney tissues from 29 animals belonging to the Mammalia class (including Orders Carnivora, Lagomorpha and Rodentia) were analyzed for the presence of the gene lipL32. As a result, DNA of pathogenic Leptospira spp. from specie L. interrogans was detected in four (13,80%) of the analyzed samples: three from Oryctolagus cuniculus and one from Mesocricetus auratus. This study highlights the importance of epidemiological surveillance of leptospirosis, as it identified in species of unconventional pets, that may possibly act as reservoirs of Leptospira spp.

Cross-sectional serosurvey of Leptospira species among slaughter pigs, goats, and sheep in Uganda.

INTRODUCTION: Leptospira are a group of bacteria, including pathogenic types that cause leptospirosis. In Uganda, Leptospira exposure has been reported in humans, with domesticated animals being speculated as the source. However, comparable evidence of Leptospira prevalence and circulating serovars/serogroups in animals is only documented for cattle, and dogs. Our study determined Leptospira seroprevalence, associated risk factors and serogroups circulating among slaughtered pigs, goats, and sheep in Uganda. METHODS: During an 11-month cross-sectional survey in selected slaughter facilities in three regions of Uganda, we collected blood from 926 pigs, 347 goats, and 116 sheep. The age, sex, breed, and origin of each sampled animal were noted. The samples were tested for anti-Leptospira antibodies using the microscopic agglutination test, based on a panel of 12 serovars belonging to 12 serogroups. RESULTS: Leptospira seroprevalence was 26.67% (247/926, 95%CI 23.92-29.61) among pigs, and 21.81% (101/463, 95%CI 18.29-25.80) in goats and sheep (small ruminants). L. interrogans Australis and L. kirschneri Grippotyphosa were the commonest serovars among pigs, as was L. borgpetersenii Tarassovi in small ruminants. Pigs sourced from the Eastern (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.82, 95%CI 1.84-4.30) and Northern (OR = 3.56, 95%CI 2.52-5.02) regions were more likely to be seropositive, compared to those from the Central region. For small ruminants, being female (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.69-4.57) and adult (OR 4.47, 95% CI 1.57-18.80) was significantly more associated with Leptospira seropositivity. Conclusion/significance: Detection of a moderate seroprevalence, and several Leptospira serogroups among pigs, sheep, and goats from all regions of Uganda, supports existing reports in cattle and dogs, and implies widespread Leptospira exposure in domestic animals in Uganda. These findings may inform future programs for the control of leptospirosis in livestock in Uganda.

Fatal leptospirosis in endangered Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) kept in captivity: Assessing the role of sympatric rodents.

Between December 2020 and January 2021, an outbreak of acute mortality in endangered Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) kept in captivity was detected in a zoo in Spain. The main findings observed in the two fatally affected animals at post-mortem evaluation were jaundice, renal tubular necrosis and interstitial nephritis. Leptospira spp. infection was confirmed by real time PCR (qPCR) in different tissues in both individuals. Analyses of secY gene from a positive individual showed 100% homology with a previously published sequence corresponding to Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni. Free-living sympatric brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) from the affected zoo were also analyzed, and showed a prevalence and seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. of 18.2% (4/22; 95% CI: 2.1-34.3) and 41.9% (26/62; 95% CI: 29.7-54.2), respectively. We detected seropositive sera to five different serovars of Leptospira spp. (Copenhageni, Grippotyphosa, Pomona, Canicola and Hardjo) in the rodent population, with L. Copenhageni being the predominant one. This study describes for first time an outbreak of fatal leptospirosis in captive non-human primates in Europe. Our results show that Barbary macaques, an endangered species, are highly susceptible to Leptospira spp. infection, with sympatric wild rodents being the most likely reservoir animals involved in transmission in this outbreak. Our results suggest that rodent control could be an effective measure for minimizing exposure to Leptospira spp. in zoological collections. Given the potential implications for conservation, animal and public health, non-human primates and rodents should be included in surveillance programs for Leptospira spp. in zoos.

Global distribution of Leptospira serovar isolations and detections from animal host species: A systematic review and online database.

OBJECTIVES: Leptospira, the spirochaete causing leptospirosis, can be classified into >250 antigenically distinct serovars. Although knowledge of the animal host species and geographic distribution of Leptospira serovars is critical to understand the human and animal epidemiology of leptospirosis, current data are fragmented. We aimed to systematically review, the literature on animal host species and geographic distribution of Leptospira serovars to examine associations between serovars with animal host species and regions and to identify geographic regions in need of study. METHODS: Nine library databases were searched from inception through 9 March 2023 using keywords including Leptospira, animal, and a list of serovars. We sought reports of detection of Leptospira, from any animal, characterised by cross agglutinin absorption test, monoclonal antibody typing, serum factor analysis, or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to identify the serovar. RESULTS: We included 409 reports, published from 1927 through 2022, yielding data on 154 Leptospira serovars. The reports included data from 66 (26.5%) of 249 countries. Detections were from 144 animal host species including 135 (93.8%) from the class Mammalia, 5 (3.5%) from Amphibia, 3 (2.1%) from Reptilia, and 1 (0.7%) from Arachnida. Across the animal host species, Leptospira serovars that were detected in the largest number of animal species included Grippotyphosa (n = 39), Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 29), Pomona (n = 28), Australis (n = 25), and Ballum (n = 25). Of serovars, 76 were detected in a single animal host species. We created an online database to identify animal host species for each serovar by country. CONCLUSIONS: We found that many countries have few or no Leptospira serovars detected from animal host species and that many serovars were detected from a single animal species. Our study highlights the importance of efforts to identify animal host species of leptospirosis, especially in places with a high incidence of human leptospirosis. We provide an updated resource for leptospirosis researchers.

Investigation of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies and leptospiruria in cats attended to a veterinary teaching hospital in southern Brazil.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis that affects both humans and animals worldwide. Currently, it is known that cats may be susceptible to infection. This study aims to investigate the presence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies and leptospiruria in cats, using Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) and Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques, respectively. A total of 76 cats, undergoing comprehensive anamnesis, general physical examination, and complementary exams were included in the investigation. Among the 76 cats tested, 9.2% (7/76) exhibited the presence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies, while Leptospira spp. DNA was detected in at 1.3% (1/76) of the evaluated urine samples. No significant associations were observed between the serological and molecular diagnostic results and the assessed variables, including clinical data and laboratory results of cats testing positive. This study provides insight into the occurrence of Leptospira spp. infection and leptospiruria in cats treated at a veterinary teaching hospital in southern Brazil.

First isolation and genotyping of pathogenic Leptospira spp. from Austria.

Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonotic disease. The standard serological test, known as Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), requires the use of live Leptospira strains. To enhance its sensitivity and specificity, the usage of locally circulating strains is recommended. However, to date, no local strain is available from Austria. This study aimed to isolate circulating Leptospira strains from cattle in Austria to enhance the performances of the routine serological test for both humans and animals. We used a statistical approach combined with a comprehensive literature search to profile cattle with greater risk of leptospirosis infection and implemented a targeted sampling between November 2021 and October 2022. Urine and/or kidney tissue were sampled from 410 cattle considered at higher risk of infection. Samples were inoculated into EMJH-STAFF culture media within 2-6 h and a real-time PCR targeting the lipL32 gene was used to confirm the presence/absence of pathogenic Leptospira in each sample. Isolates were further characterised by core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). Nine out of 429 samples tested positive by PCR, from which three isolates were successfully cultured and identified as Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjobovis, cgMLST cluster 40. This is the first report on the isolation and genotyping of local zoonotic Leptospira in Austria, which holds the potential for a significant improvement in diagnostic performance in the country. Although the local strain was identified as a cattle-adapted serovar, it possesses significant zoonotic implications. Furthermore, this study contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiology of leptospirosis in Europe.

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors for bovine leptospirosis in Egypt.

Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira and is one of causative agents of reproductive problems leading to negative economic impact on bovine worldwide. The goal of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in cattle in some governorates of Egypt's Nile Delta and assess the risk factors for infection. A total of 410 serum samples were collected from cattle and examined using microscopic agglutination test. The overall seroprevalence was 10.2% and the most prevalent serovars were Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona and Canicola. In addition, the potential risk factors were associated Leptospira spp. infection were age, herd size, history of abortion, presence of dogs and rodent control. Thus, leptospirosis is common in dairy cattle in the Nile Delta and  the presence of rodents in feed and dog-accessible pastures increases the risk of Leptospira spp. infection among animals.

Epidemiology of reported cases of leptospirosis in the EU/EEA, 2010 to 2021.

BackgroundLeptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Humans are infected by exposure to animal urine or urine-contaminated environments. Although disease incidence is lower in Europe compared with tropical regions, there have been reports of an increase in leptospirosis cases since the 2000s in some European countries.AimWe aimed to describe the epidemiology of reported cases of leptospirosis in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) during 2010-2021 and to identify potential changes in epidemiological patterns.MethodsWe ran a descriptive analysis of leptospirosis cases reported by EU/EEA countries to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control with disease during 2010-2021. We also analysed trends at EU/EEA and national level.ResultsDuring 2010-2021, 23 countries reported 12,180 confirmed leptospirosis cases corresponding to a mean annual notification rate of 0.24 cases per 100,000 population. Five countries (France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Romania) accounted for 79% of all reported cases. The highest notification rate was observed in Slovenia with 0.82 cases per 100,000 population. Overall, the notification rate increased by 5.0% per year from 2010 to 2021 (95% CI: 1.2-8.8%), although trends differed across countries.ConclusionThe notification rate of leptospirosis at EU/EEA level increased during 2010-2021 despite including the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated changes in population behaviours. Studies at (sub)national level would help broaden the understanding of differences at country-level and specificities in terms of exposure to Leptospira, as well as biases in diagnosis and reporting.

Evaluating the long-term impact of COVID-19-associated public health interventions on zoonotic and vector-borne diseases in China: an interrupted time series analysis.

BACKGROUND: The long-term impact of COVID-19-associated public health interventions on zoonotic and vector-borne infectious diseases (ZVBs) remains uncertain. This study sought to examine the changes in ZVBs in China during the COVID-19 pandemic and predict their future trends. METHODS: Monthly incidents of seven ZVBs (Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome [HFRS], Rabies, Dengue fever [DF], Human brucellosis [HB], Leptospirosis, Malaria, and Schistosomiasis) were gathered from January 2004 to July 2023. An autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) by incorporating the COVID-19-associated public health intervention variables was developed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of interventions and forecast ZVBs epidemics from August 2023 to December 2025. RESULTS: Over the study period, there were 1,599,647 ZVBs incidents. HFRS and rabies exhibited declining trends, HB showed an upward trajectory, while the others remained relatively stable. The ARFIMA, incorporating a pulse pattern, estimated the average monthly number of changes of - 83 (95% confidence interval [CI] - 353-189) cases, - 3 (95% CI - 33-29) cases, - 468 (95% CI - 1531-597) cases, 2191 (95% CI 1056-3326) cases, 7 (95% CI - 24-38) cases, - 84 (95% CI - 222-55) cases, and - 214 (95% CI - 1036-608) cases for HFRS, rabies, DF, HB, leptospirosis, malaria, and schistosomiasis, respectively, although these changes were not statistically significant besides HB. ARFIMA predicted a decrease in HB cases between August 2023 and December 2025, while indicating a relative plateau for the others. CONCLUSIONS: China's dynamic zero COVID-19 strategy may have exerted a lasting influence on HFRS, rabies, DF, malaria, and schistosomiasis, beyond immediate consequences, but not affect HB and leptospirosis. ARFIMA emerges as a potent tool for intervention analysis, providing valuable insights into the sustained effectiveness of interventions. Consequently, the application of ARFIMA contributes to informed decision-making, the design of effective interventions, and advancements across various fields.

Serological evidence of exposure of healthy dogs to Leptospira in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

In 2017, highly fatal canine leptospirosis emerged in Sydney, Australia. Based on results of microscopic agglutination testing (MAT), serovar Copenhageni appeared to be the most common causative serovar. Prior to this, no clinical cases had been reported since 1976. In a serosurvey of healthy dogs in Australian shelters in 2004, 2.4% of 431 New South Wales dogs had serological evidence of exposure to Copenhageni, the most prevalent serovar. The aim of this study was to estimate the current prevalence of Leptospira exposure and associated serovars in healthy Sydney dogs, previously unvaccinated against Leptospira. Serum samples from 411 healthy dogs in leptospirosis hotspots and neighbouring suburbs were collected before vaccination. MAT for 23 serovars was performed at the WHO Leptospirosis Reference Laboratory in Queensland, Australia. The overall seroprevalence was 4.1% (17/411) with low titres (1/50-1/200) detected. Eleven dogs were from known leptospirosis hotspots. Eight dogs were known to hunt rodents. One dog had been in contact with a leptospirosis positive dog 1 year prior. Serovar Topaz was the most prevalent serovar (n = 5) followed by serovars Australis (n = 4), Copenhageni (n = 4), Djasiman (n = 2), Cynopteri (n = 1), Javanica (n = 1), Medanensis (n = 1), and Pomona (n = 1). In conclusion, serological evidence of exposure of dogs in Sydney to Leptospira is low, but apparently has increased since 2004. Positive titres to serovars not previously reported to cause disease in dogs could be due to low virulence of those serovars or cross-reactivity with other serovars.

Disability-adjusted life years due to leptospirosis in Monaragala District of Sri Lanka.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infection with significant morbidity and mortality. As an occupational disease, it has become a global concern due to its disease burden in endemic countries and rural areas. The aim of this study was to assess disease burden in terms of Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of leptospirosis.A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using 450 clinically diagnosed leptospirosis patients admitted to base and above hospitals in Monaragala District, Sri Lanka, using a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The patients were followed up until normal day-to-day life after discharge. Estimation of DALYs was done using laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis patients. Leptospirosis disease burden in Monaragala District was 44.9 DALYs per 100,000 population, which includes 33.18 Years of life losts and 10.9 YLDs. The incidence of leptospirosis in Monaragala District during the study period was 59.8 per 100,000 population, and the case fatality rate (CFR) was 1.5% and 75% of deaths were among males.The disease burden of leptospirosis in Monaragala District was significantly high and urgent efforts to control and prevent leptospirosis should be a priority.

Acute human leptospirosis in a Caribbean region of Colombia: From classic to emerging risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide incidence, with a broad spectrum of health risk factors. AIM: The objective was to determine risk factors associated with acute human leptospirosis and to explore predictive variables of risk to human leptospirosis. METHODS: The study was carried out in the Department of Córdoba, in the north of Colombia. We conducted a longitudinal prospective descriptive study with non-probabilistic sampling, which included 339 patients suspected of leptospirosis. Positive cases were confirmed by MAT and PCR. The determination of social and environmental risk factors was done with a survey on epidemiological and environmental variables to establish an association between cases of leptospirosis and risk factors as well as predictive variables. RESULTS: We found 19.8% (67/339) cases of acute leptospirosis, and the seroprevalence was 27.1% (92/339). The most frequent serogroups were Sejroe, Australis, Pomona, Batavie, Pyrogenes and Grippotyphosa. We identified the following risk factors: age between 10 and 19 years (OR = 2.571; 95% CI); pig ownership (OR = 2.019; 95% CI); bathing or recreational activities in lake/lagoon (OR = 3.85; 95% CI) and in dams (OR = 3.0; 95% CI); floodings 30 days before the onset of symptoms (OR = 2.019; 95% CI), and a mean temperature of 28°C (p 0.044; 95%CI). As significant predictor variables, we identified age (10-19 years), bathing or recreational activities in the lake/lagoon, and flooding 30 days before symptoms were again evidenced. This region presents classic risk factors (pig ownership) and emerging environmental risk factors (recreational practice or bathing in a lake/lagoon and flooding 30 days before the onset of symptoms), and demographic factors such as young age (10-19 years). CONCLUSIONS: These factors are also predictors of human cases of acute leptospirosis and provide contextual information on environmental and public health that should be considered for epidemiological surveillance in this endemic area.

Leptospirosis Cases among Outpatients with Non-Malaria Fever Attending Primary Care Clinics during the Rainy Season in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Leptospirosis is presumably an important cause of non-malarial fever in West Africa. In this study, outpatients consulting in primary care clinics during the rainy season were tested for leptospirosis, and clinical characteristics associated with leptospirosis cases were explored. Patients with fever ≥ 39°C were recruited in nine primary health care centers in Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). Diagnosis of malaria was ruled out using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT; SD Bioline Malaria®). Leptospirosis cases were defined as patients who tested positive for Leptospira IgM (Leptocheck-WB RDT and Leptospira IgM ELISA assay, Panbio) or DNA in plasma (LipL32 polymerase chain reaction [PCR]). Among 350 patients, 202 tested positive for malaria and were excluded, and 148 met the eligibility criteria and were included. Among these, 26 subjects were considered to be leptospirosis cases: 23 tested positive for Leptospira IgM (15.5%) and three tested positive by PCR (2.2%). Headaches, abdominal symptoms, and myalgia were frequently reported without any difference between leptospirosis cases and negative cases. Cough was more frequently observed among subjects testing positive for leptospirosis (P = 0.02). Water exposure, presence of a skin injury, and walking barefoot were associated with a Leptospira-positive test. All leptospirosis cases recovered without sequelae. A significant portion of outpatients with non-malarial febrile illness during the rainy season in Burkina Faso had epidemiological factors associated with leptospirosis and tested positive for Leptospira. The favorable outcome of leptospirosis cases was reassuring; this could be due in particular to the young age of the patients.

Molecular typing of Leptospira spp. in farmed and wild mammals reveals new host-serovar associations in New Zealand.

AIMS: To apply molecular typing to DNA isolated from historical samples to determine Leptospira spp. infecting farmed and wild mammals in New Zealand. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA samples used in this study were extracted from urine, serum or kidney samples (or Leptospira spp. cultures isolated from them) collected between 2007 and 2017 from a range of domestic and wildlife mammalian species as part of different research projects at Massey University. Samples were included in the study if they met one of three criteria: samples that tested positive with a lipL32 PCR for pathogenic Leptospira; samples that tested negative by lipL32 PCR but were recorded as positive to PCR for pathogenic Leptospira in the previous studies; or samples that were PCR-negative in all studies but were from animals with positive agglutination titres against serogroup Tarassovi. DNA samples were typed using PCR that targeted either the glmU or gyrB genetic loci. The resulting amplicons were sequenced and typed relative to reference sequences. RESULTS: We identified several associations between mammalian hosts and Leptospira strains/serovars that had not been previously reported in New Zealand. Leptospira borgpetersenii strain Pacifica was found in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) samples, L. borgpetersenii serovars Balcanica and Ballum were found in wild red deer samples, Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni was found in stoats (Mustela erminea) and brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), and L. borgpetersenii was found in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo). Furthermore, we reconfirmed previously described associations including dairy cattle with L. interrogans serovars Copenhageni and Pomona and L. borgpetersenii serovars Ballum, Hardjo type bovis and strain Pacifica, sheep with L. interrogans serovar Pomona and L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo type bovis, brushtail possum with L. borgpetersenii serovar Balcanica, farmed deer with L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo type bovis and hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) with L. borgpetersenii serovar Ballum. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an updated summary of host-Leptospira associations in New Zealand and highlights the importance of molecular typing. Furthermore, strain Pacifica, which was first identified as Tarassovi using serological methods in dairy cattle in 2016, has circulated in animal communities since at least 2007 but remained undetected as serology is unable to distinguish the different genotypes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To date, leptospirosis in New Zealand has been diagnosed with serological typing, which is deficient in typing all strains in circulation. Molecular methods are necessary to accurately type strains of Leptospira spp. infecting mammals in New Zealand.

Study on the relation of the characteristics of the capture sites with the Leptospira spp. occurrence in bats and rodents from Yucatan, Mexico.

This study aims to describe the natural Leptospira occurrence in small mammals from Yucatan, Mexico, and to explore the relation between the characteristics of the capture sites and the Leptospira occurrence. Bats and rodents were captured in five sites of Yucatan state, and from them, a kidney fragment was collected that was used in the genomic DNA extraction. Leptospira DNA was identified by PCR targeting the 16S-rRNA and LipL32 genes. Additionally, a bioinformatic analysis was carried out to know the Leptospira species and was corroborated with a phylogenetic tree. The assemblage of small mammals was compound of 82 (51.2 %) bats and 78 (48.8 %) rodents. A global frequency (bats plus rodents) of Leptospira occurrence of 21.2 % (34/160) was observed; in bats, it was 21.9 % (18/82), and in rodents, 20.5 % (16/78). The phylogenetic trees based on LipL32 gene showed that the recovered sequences most closely resemble the species L. borgpetersenii and L. noguchii. The ordination of the capture sites with tropical deciduous forests as original vegetation is more related to the abundance of Leptospira-infected rodents. The ordination of the capture sites with tropical sub-deciduous forests as original vegetation is more related to the diversity of Leptospira-infected bat species. The canonical ordering of the capture sites is by the original vegetation type and the diversity and abundance of Leptospira-infected bat and rodent species.

Seroprevalence and herd-level associated factors of pathogenic Leptospira spp. circulating locally in dairy cattle in Uruguay.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide importance. In Uruguay, it is endemic in cattle and primarily affects people with occupational exposure to livestock. The aim of this study was to determine the national seroprevalence and associated factors of local pathogen Leptospires in dairy cattle. A cross-sectional study was carried out. Herds were stratified by size (1-50, 51-250, and > 250 cattle), and up to 60 dairy cows per herd were randomly selected. A total of 4269 serum samples from 101 dairy herds were analyzed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). A two-stage sampling design was used to estimate population seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. In order to determine the factors associated with the disease, herds with at least 1 seropositive animal were considered as case herds. Seroprevalence of Leptospira was 27.80% with a 95% CI [21.06, 34.54] at the animal level and 86.92% with a 95% CI [80.00, 93.75] at the herd level. The serology confirms the predominance of serogroups Sejroe and Pomona in our herd with the presence of incidental leptospires infection, in smaller proportion, but with a wide distribution at farm level. The population size and purchasing replacement of cows on dairy farms were associated with infection at farm level. The serologic studies confirmed that exposure to Leptospira spp. is endemic in our herds, and the spreading over dairy herds. Although the movement of purchased females and the size of the herd were associated with the disease, more studies should be conducted, to better understand the epidemiology of the disease and to highlight the possible risks to public health, especially in rural workers, farmers and veterinarians.

Leptospirosis in Malaysia: current status, insights, and future prospects.

Among zoonotic infections, leptospirosis has a worldwide distribution and high prevalence in tropical regions. It has a broad clinical presentation from mild to severe, life-threatening infection. Leptospires, the etiological agent of leptospirosis, are found in varied ecological niches and animal species, providing a significant source of human infection. This review aims to provide the current status of leptospirosis in Malaysia and the direction for future studies. The literature search for this review was performed using PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Google Scholar databases. The incidence of leptospirosis in Malaysia from 2004 to 2020 varied; however, a large number of cases occurred during floods. Leptospira has been isolated from wild and domestic animals as well as from the environment; among them, several novel species have been identified. In Malaysia, leptospirosis infection and death were mostly associated with recreational and non-recreational water activities. Despite the endemicity of leptospirosis, the public's knowledge, attitude, and practice level are relatively low in this country. More studies are needed in Malaysia to explore the extent of leptospirosis in different settings and locations.

Spatio-temporal modeling of human leptospirosis prevalence using the maximum entropy model.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease, stands as one of the prevailing health issues in some tropical areas of Iran. Over a decade, its incidence rate has been estimated at approximately 2.33 cases per 10,000 individuals. Our research focused on analyzing the spatiotemporal clustering of Leptospirosis and developing a disease prevalence model as an essential focal point for public health policymakers, urging targeted interventions and strategies. METHODS: The SaTScan and Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling methods were used to find the spatiotemporal clusters of the Leptospirosis and model the disease prevalence in Iran. We incorporated nine environmental covariates by employing a spatial resolution of 1 km x 1 km, the finest resolution ever implemented for modeling Human Leptospirosis in Iran. These covariates encompassed the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), slope, displacement areas, water bodies, and land cover, monthly recorded Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), monthly recorded precipitation, monthly recorded mean and maximum temperature, contributing significantly to our disease modeling approach. The analysis using MaxEnt yielded the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC) metrics for the training and test data, to evaluate the accuracy of the implemented model. RESULTS: The findings reveal a highly significant primary cluster (p-value < 0.05) located in the western regions of the Gilan province, spanning from July 2013 to July 2015 (p-value < 0.05). Moreover, there were four more clusters (p-value < 0.05) identified near Someh Sara, Neka, Gorgan and Rudbar. Furthermore, the risk mapping effectively illustrates the potential expansion of the disease into the western and northwestern regions. The AUC metrics of 0.956 and 0.952 for the training and test data, respectively, underscoring the robust accuracy of the implemented model. Interestingly, among the variables considered, the influence of slope and distance from water bodies appears to be minimal. However, altitude and precipitation stand out as the primary determinants that significantly contribute to the prevalence of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The risk map generated through this study carries significant potential to enhance public awareness and inform the formulation of impactful policies to combat Leptospirosis. These maps also play a crucial role in tracking disease incidents and strategically directing interventions toward the regions most susceptible.