Serological and molecular survey of Leptospira spp. among cart horses from an endemic area of human leptospirosis in Curitiba, southern Brazil.
Abstract: Cart horses are a re-emerging population employed to carry recyclable material in cities. Methods: Sixty-two horses were sampled in an endemic area of human leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed. Results: A seropositivity of 75.8% with serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae in 80.8% of the horses was observed. Blood and urine were qPCR negative. MAT showed positive correlations with rainfall (p = 0.02) and flooding (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Although horses may be constantly exposed to Leptospira spp. in the environment mostly because of rainfall and flooding, no leptospiremia or leptospiruria were observed in this study. Cavalos carroceiros são uma população reemergente empregada para transportar materiais recicláveis em cidades. Em área endêmica para leptospirose humana foram amostrados 62 cavalos. Soroaglutinação microscópica e reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real foram empregadas. Observou-se soropositividade em 75,8% com sorovar Icterohaemorrhagiae em 80,8% cavalos. Amostras de sangue e urina foram negativas no qPCR. Observou-se correlação positiva entre SAM e pluviosidade ( = 0,02) e alagamentos ( = 0,03). Embora cavalos possam estar constantemente expostos a spp. no ambiente, principalmente por chuvas e inundações, leptospiremia e leptospiruria não foram encontradas neste estudo.
Publication Date: 2014-10-30 PubMed ID: 25351539PubMed Central: PMC4296865DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652014000600003Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the presence of Leptospira bacteria in cart horses from an area in southern Brazil where human leptospirosis cases are prevalent. The study found high seropositivity for Leptospira in the horses but did not detect the bacteria in their blood or urine.
Study Design and Methods
- The researchers studied a group of 62 cart horses living in an endemic area of human leptospirosis in Curitiba, southern Brazil. Cart horses are often employed to transport recyclable materials in urban settings.
- Two methods were used to detect the presence of the Leptospira bacteria: the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). MAT is commonly used to detect and to measure antibodies produced in response to a bacterial infection, while qPCR is a method used to rapidly generate large amount of specific DNA, allowing to detect and quantify the bacteria.
- The team also examined potential environmental variables that could influence the presence of the bacteria, such as rainfall and flooding.
Results
- The analysis revealed a very high seropositivity (75.8%) in the population of studied horses, showing that the animals had been exposed to the bacteria. Interestingly, the most common variant of the bacteria found (in 80.8% of the horses) was the serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae.
- However, despite this exposure, the researchers could not detect the presence of the bacteria in the blood or urine of the horses using qPCR, meaning no active infection was found.
- The team found a significant positive correlation between positive MAT findings (indicating previous exposure to the bacteria) and recent environmental phenomena such as rainfall (p = 0.02) and flooding (p = 0.03).
Conclusions
- The results suggest that even though cart horses in this region may be very frequently exposed to Leptospira spp. due to weather conditions like rainfall and flooding, they do not appear to maintain active infections, as evidenced by the negative qPCR results from blood and urine samples.
- This study provides valuable insights into leptospirosis exposure in animal populations, which can help inform public health initiatives to prevent and treat this disease.”
Cite This Article
APA
Finger MA, de Barros Filho IR, Leutenegger C, Estrada M, Ullmann LS, Langoni H, Kikuti M, Dornbush PT, Deconto I, Biondo AW.
(2014).
Serological and molecular survey of Leptospira spp. among cart horses from an endemic area of human leptospirosis in Curitiba, southern Brazil.
Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo, 56(6), 473-476.
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0036-46652014000600003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Real Time PCR Core Facility, Idexx Reference Laboratories, West Sacramento, CA, USA.
- Real Time PCR Core Facility, Idexx Reference Laboratories, West Sacramento, CA, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, Veterinary School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, Veterinary School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, Veterinary School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Agglutination Tests / veterinary
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Brazil / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Humans
- Leptospira / genetics
- Leptospira / immunology
- Leptospirosis / diagnosis
- Leptospirosis / epidemiology
- Leptospirosis / veterinary
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Urban Population
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Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K. Infectious Uveitis in Horses and New Insights in Its Leptospiral Biofilm-Related Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2022 Feb 7;10(2).
- Geiger T, Gerhards H, Wollanke B. Detection of Anti-LipL32 Antibodies in Serum Samples from Horses with Chronic Intraocular Infection with Leptospira spp. Pathogens 2021 Oct 14;10(10).
- Benitez ADN, Monica TC, Miura AC, Romanelli MS, Giordano LGP, Freire RL, Mitsuka-Breganó R, Martins CM, Biondo AW, Serrano IM, Lopes THCR, Reis RB, Gomes JF, Costa F, Wunder E, Ko AI, Navarro IT. Spatial and Simultaneous Seroprevalence of Anti-Leptospira Antibodies in Owners and Their Domiciled Dogs in a Major City of Southern Brazil. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:580400.
- Akter R, Legione A, Sansom FM, El-Hage CM, Hartley CA, Gilkerson JR, Devlin JM. Detection of Coxiella burnetii and equine herpesvirus 1, but not Leptospira spp. or Toxoplasma gondii, in cases of equine abortion in Australia - a 25 year retrospective study. PLoS One 2020;15(5):e0233100.
- Romanowski TNA, Dias RA, Heinemann MB, Carvalho SF, Silva TA, Martins ADS, Caetano GDDC, Ferreira Júnior Á, Santos JPD, Borsanelli AC. Seroprevalence of Equine Leptospirosis in the State of Goiás, Brazil. Vet Sci 2023 Sep 25;10(10).
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