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Seroepidemiological survey on Leptospira spp. infection in wild and domestic mammals in two distinct areas of the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil

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Abstract

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease that causes severe reproductive problems in livestock and generates economic losses for farmers. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in small mammals, both wild and domestic, in two distinct areas of the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil: the National Park of Serra das Confusões (NPSC), state of Piauí, a preserved area; and rural areas in the municipalities of Petrolina and Lagoa Grande, state of Pernambuco, non-preserved areas. Serum samples were evaluated using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Approximately 4% (6/152) of the wild animals were positive, all of them in the non-preserved area. Overall, the seroprevalence rates among goats and sheep were 13.4 (77/576) and 4.6% (24/518), respectively, confirmed in both areas. The seroprevalence rates in dogs and cats were 5.6 (10/180) and 4.7% (2/43) and were determined only in the non-preserved area. The risk factors associated with Leptospira spp. infection were as follows: ages of 1–3 and > 3 years for goats and sheep, region (preserved area) for goats, intensive management system for sheep, and region (non-preserved area) for dogs and wildlife. The present study confirmed the presence of circulation of Leptospira spp. in both of these areas of the Caatinga biome, as well as a variety of serotypes in these areas.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ana Isabel A. Santos, Andreina C. Araujo, Antônio F. S. Filho, Dália M. R. Machado, Davi P. Freire, Glauber M. B. Oliveira, Juliana A. P. Abreu, Mariana C. Fontalvo, and Naylla M. Santos for their valuable help during the fieldwork and laboratory tests; the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, ICMBio); and the Fauna Management and Conservation Center (Centro de Conservação e Manejo de Fauna, Cemafauna) for confirming the identification of wild mammal species. This work was supported by the Brazilian funding agencies CAPES and FACEPE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Campus Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, km 12, Lote 543, Projeto de Irrigação Senador Nilo Coelho s/n, Petrolina, PE, 56300-990, Brazil

    Laís Ferrari dos Santos, Maíra Freitas Guimarães, Ivo Wesley Gomes da Silva, Josenilton Rodrigues Santos & Mauricio Claudio Horta

  2. Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil

    Gisele Oliveira de Souza, Marcelo Bahia Labruna & Marcos Bryan Heinemann

  3. Academic Unit for Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil

    Sérgio Santos Azevedo

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  1. Laís Ferrari dos Santos
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  2. Maíra Freitas Guimarães
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  3. Gisele Oliveira de Souza
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Correspondence to Mauricio Claudio Horta.

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All the procedures followed the ethical standards for animal experimentation established by the Ethics Committee for Studies and Research at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (CEDEP/UNIVASF; protocol number 0026/140415) and by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA; protocol number 45764-1).

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dos Santos, L.F., Guimarães, M.F., de Souza, G.O. et al. Seroepidemiological survey on Leptospira spp. infection in wild and domestic mammals in two distinct areas of the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 49, 1715–1722 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1382-9

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