Basic Aspects and Epidemiological Studies on Leptospirosis Carried Out in Animals in Chile: A Bibliographic Review.
Abstract: Leptospirosis is an important zoonosis worldwide. This disease affects numerous animal species, some of them are classified as "maintenance hosts", and others are categorized as "incidental hosts". Humans are at risk of becoming infected by having contact with domestic and wild animals. In this paper, general aspects of the etiology and transmission of leptospirosis are addressed, data regarding the clinical presentation of the pathology in humans and animals are also presented, and the results of some epidemiological studies on leptospirosis carried out in Chile in different animal species and humans are summarized through a bibliographic review of the literature. The research on domestic canines and horses stands out in terms of their number in the country, with prevalences between 12.0% and 59.1% in dogs and from 23.3% to 65.4% in equids. Studies have been performed on domestic felines in recent years with frequencies ranging from 3.0% to 25.2%, as well as on wild animals (mainly in mammals). In pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats, the information is scarce, with little updated research dating back several decades and variable prevalence rates, which are generally high, except for in sheep. Leptospirosis is a disease of varied etiology in terms of infecting species, serovars and serogroups, which influences its epidemiology, and its prevalence is variable in different animals. An increase in the awareness given to this pathology in human and veterinary public health is required, as well as more scientific studies in Chile, to update the existing knowledge.
Publication Date: 2023-02-01 PubMed ID: 36828513PubMed Central: PMC9964289DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8020097Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research paper reviews existing literature on the zoonosis disease Leptospirosis, its transmission, and effect on various animal species and humans in Chile. It also emphasizes the need for heightened awareness and in-depth research on this matter to ensure public health measures are effectively implemented.
Understanding Leptospirosis
- Leptospirosis is described as a significant zoonosis, a disease transmitted from animals to humans.
- An animal that can harbour and transmit this disease without showing signs of an illness is a “maintenance host”, while an “incidental host” is an animal that becomes ill after infection.
- Humans are susceptible to infection from both domesticated and wild animals.
Epidemiological Studies on Animal Leptospirosis in Chile
- The study presents a review of existing literature and statistical data on Leptospirosis situations in various animal species and humans in Chile.
- Cases of Leptospirosis have been extensively studied and documented amongst domestic dogs and horses, revealing prevalence rates between 12.0% and 59.1%, and 23.3% to 65.4% respectively.
- More recent investigations have been made on cats, which have shown infection rates varying from 3.0% to 25.2%.
- Apart from domestic animals, research has also been conducted on wild mammals that have shown varying rates of infection.
- On the other hand, knowledge and studies on pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats remain limited, with most relevant research dating back several decades.
- The prevalence rates in these species are found to be high, with sheep being an exception.
Concerns and Implications
- Leptospirosis presents varied aetiology based on the infecting species, serovars and serogroups, which affects its epidemiology, and makes its prevalence variable among different animals.
- The study emphasizes the need for increased awareness about this zoonotic disease in the realm of public health, considering its impact on both humans and animals.
- Given the variable prevalence amongst different animals, more rigorous and up-to-date scientific research is prompted in Chile to enhance the existing knowledge base concerning Leptospirosis.
Cite This Article
APA
Azócar-Aedo L.
(2023).
Basic Aspects and Epidemiological Studies on Leptospirosis Carried Out in Animals in Chile: A Bibliographic Review.
Trop Med Infect Dis, 8(2).
https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8020097 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede De La Patagonia, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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