A search for leptospirosis in Belize - abstract

ABSTRACT

Subjects in four urban communities, nine rural communities and six schools in Belize were examined for leptospiral agglutinins in June 1984. Seropositivity rates at titres of >150 were 22 percent for urban community subjects, 37 percent for rural community subjects and 11.5 percent for school pupils. At titres of >1100 the rates were 17 percent, 26 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. These latter figures are remarkably similar to those for Barbados. If the pathogenicity of the predominant serovars in the two territories is comparable, an average of about 26 severe cases a year could be expected in Belize (approximately 18 per 100,000 population). The finding of at least one current case among 11 febrile patients examined in a two-week period is consistent with these expected findings. The serovars most commonly infecting humans in Belize appear to belong to the Australis, Autumnalis, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Panama serogroups. Among the cattle examined, reactions to antigens in the Hebdomadis II serogroup were predominant, probably as a result of importation practices. However, serogroup Australis was also commonly found in cattle, as well as in pigs and sheep. Livestock animals could be a major source of human infection in Belize (AU)