Prevalence of leptospirosis in vaccinated working dogs and humans with occupational risk

Molecular Evidence of Leptospira spp. Infection Among Household Dogs From 15 Municipalities of the Department of Caldas, Colombia

INTRODUCTION

Leptospira spp. is a bacterial genus which includes pathogenic species that causes leptospirosis. Several animal species can harbour, shed and disseminate the bacteria through their urine. Although the circulation of Leptospira among homeless dogs may be common, the presence of Leptospira among household dogs is more important since they can act as important sources of infection for their owners due to the closer contact with humans.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to detect the presence of Leptospira spp. among household dogs from 15 municipalities of the Caldas department.

METHODS

Between November 2015 and January 2017, an active household dog sampling was performed in 15 municipalities of Caldas department. Dog blood samples were tested through conventional PCR targeting a fragment of the Leptospira rrs and LipL32 genes. All obtained amplicons were purified and bi-directionally sequenced. Obtained sequences were assembled and edited for subsequent phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 196 dogs were sampled from 15 municipalities of Caldas department, of which 180 were screened for Leptospira spp. Ten (5.6%) dog blood samples from seven municipalities were successfully amplified for the Leptospira rrs gene. Two Leptospira rrs good-quality sequences were obtained which had a closer relationship with Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira santarosai.

CONCLUSION

We confirm the presence of Leptospira spp. closely related with L. interrogans and L. santarosai among household dogs from seven municipalities of Caldas department. These results highlight the need to improve the care of household dogs in Caldas department since they could eventually become important sources of infection of leptospirosis.

One Health Field Approach Applied to Leptospirosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Across Humans, Animals and the Environment

Background

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis transmitted through urine of infected hosts or contaminated environments. The transmission of bacteria between humans, animals, and the environment underscores the necessity of a One Health approach.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review to identify significant findings and challenges in One Health research on leptospirosis, focusing on studies involving sampling in ≥2 of the 3 compartments: human, animal, and environment. We searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, and ScienceDirect from 1 January 1918 to 31 December 2022. We assessed risk of bias in studies using Joanna Briggs Institute tools and performed a meta-analysis to identify links between One Health compartments.

Results

Of 1082 leptospirosis studies with sampling, 102 multicompartmental studies conducted between 1972 and 2022 were included: 70 human-Animal, 18 animal-environment, 4 human-environment, and 10 across all compartments. Various methodological weaknesses were identified, from study design to statistical analysis. Meta-regressions identified positive associations between human and animal seroprevalences, particularly with livestock and with wild nonrodent animals, and a link between the environmental positivity rate and domestic animal seroprevalence. Our analysis was constrained by the limited number of studies included and by the quality of protocols.

Conclusions

This 50-year overview of One Health field approach to leptospirosis highlights the critical need for more robust, well-supported One Health research to clarify the transmission dynamics and identify risk factors of zoonoses.

Seroprevalence of pathogenic Leptospira serogroups in asymptomatic domestic dogs and cats: systematic review and meta-analysis

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease transmitted by contact with the urine of animals infected with pathogenic species of the bacteria Leptospira or by contact with environments contaminated with the bacteria. Domestic dogs and cats may act as reservoirs or as sentinels of environmental contamination with leptospires, posing a public health concern. There is a great diversity of leptospires, and one common way to classify them is into serogroups that provide some information on the host species they are associated with. The aims of this study were: (1) to quantitatively summarize the overall prevalence and serogroup-specific prevalence of antibodies against pathogenic leptospires in asymptomatic dogs and cats and (2) to identify environmental and host characteristics that may affect the prevalence. Three electronic databases and the reference lists of eligible articles were screened, for epidemiological studies conducted between the years 2012-2022. We estimated overall and serogroup-specific prevalence using three-level meta-analysis models and assessed potential sources of heterogeneity by moderator analysis and meta-regression. Eighty-four studies met the inclusion criteria (dog studies 66.7%, cat studies 26.2%, and both species 7.1%). There were significant differences between dogs and cats in the overall prevalence model (P < 0.001), but not in the serogroup-specific model (P>0.05). In dogs, the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Canicola was significantly higher than the other pathogenic serogroups (P < 0.001), while in cats there were no significant differences among serogroups (P = 0.373). Moderator analysis showed that the prevalence of L. kirschneri serogroup Grippotyphosa was significantly higher in stray/sheltered dogs than in domiciled dogs (P = 0.028). These results suggest that pathogenic serogroups associated with small mammals are circulating among asymptomatic pets and should be taken into account in the transmission cycle of leptospires, as well as in the standard MAT panel for diagnosis in dogs and cats. It also highlights the importance of including both dogs and cats as potential reservoirs when conducting eco-epidemiological studies in different geographical and ecological areas.

Canine Leptospirosis in a Northwestern Region of Colombia: Serological, Molecular and Epidemiological Factors

Canine leptospirosis is a zoonosis of epidemiological importance. Dogs are recognized as primary reservoirs of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Canicola and a source of infection to the environment through urine. This study aimed to determine the presence of antibodies against Leptospira in canines from 49 municipalities in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia. We performed a cross-sectional study of dogs included in a neutering control program. We collected 1335 sera samples, assayed by a microagglutination test (MAT), and performed PCR detection in 21 urine samples. We also surveyed 903 dog owners. We found a seroreactivity of 11.2% (150/1335) in Antioquia with titers ≥1:50. Municipalities with the highest number of cases were Belmira (46.1%), Turbo (34.5%), and Concepción (31.0%). L. santarosai was identified by phylogenetic analysis in one urine sample from the municipality of Granada. The most important factor associated with a positive result was the lack of vaccination against leptospirosis (PR 3.3, p ≤ 0.014). Environmental factors such as water presence and bare soil around the household were also associated with Leptospira seroreactivity in the Department of Antioquia. We reviewed a national epidemiological surveillance database for human cases in those municipalities. We found a correlation between the high number of cases in canines and humans, especially in the Uraba. Serological and molecular results showed the circulation of Leptospira. Future public health efforts in the municipalities with the highest numbers of seroreactivity should be directed towards vaccination to prevent animal disease and decrease the probability of transmission of Leptospira. Dogs actively participate in the Leptospira cycle in Antioquia and encourage the implementation of vaccination protocols and coverage.

Isolation of Leptospira interrogans Serovar Canicola in a Vaccinated Dog without Clinical Symptoms

More than one million cases of leptospirosis occur across the globe annually, resulting in about 59,000 deaths. Dogs are one of the most important reservoirs of Leptospira species and play an important role in transmitting the pathogen to humans. Many of these infections are controlled by routine vaccination that has reduced the possible reintroduction of leptospiral serovars into the human population. However, it is still not clear how a vaccinated dog can become infected with one or more Leptospira serovars contained in the vaccine formulation and thus against which it should be immunized. Here, we present the case of an asymptomatic dog who developed leptospiral infection despite being vaccinated. This unusual case emphasizes the substantial impact of immunization on mitigating the acute signs of the disease, even while providing limited protection against infection. Further studies will be required to better understand the role of dogs in the environmental circulation of leptospiral serovars in Sardinia. Asymptomatic leptospiral infection in vaccinated dogs should be considered to allow for better diagnosis and management of the infection. This will be essential for preventing Leptospira outbreaks in the future.