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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet World / The prevalence and risk factors associated with Leptospira i...
Veterinary world2020; 13(9); 2020-2027; doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2020.2020-2027

The prevalence and risk factors associated with Leptospira in donkeys in Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West Province, South Africa.

Abstract: Leptospirosis is one of the major emerging global economic and health problems affecting donkeys, thereby reducing their work output. Furthermore, the disease has public health importance because of its zoonotic nature. Despite the significant contribution donkeys make to the national economy, less attention is given to diseases that afflict donkeys and reduce their productivity and performance. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of Leptospira and identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of the disease among donkeys in the study area. Methods: A questionnaire survey was used to collect the following data: Demographic, environmental, management, and health-related factors. Blood samples were aseptically collected from 365 randomly selected donkeys from 19 villages. The sera were tested using the microscopic agglutination test. Categorical variables were summarized and presented as proportions and their 95% confidence interval (CI). A binary logistic regression model was fitted to the data to identify risk factors associated with Leptospira seroprevalence in donkeys within the study areas. Results: The majority of the donkeys (29.6%; n=108/365) were from Mafikeng local municipality, and the rest (19.7%; n=72/365) were from Ratlou. Just over half (58.1%; n=212/365) of the donkeys tested were female, and the remaining (41.9%; n=153/365) were males. In addition, most donkeys (42.7%; n=156/365) were between 6 and 12 years old, followed by those between 0 and 5 years (37%; n=135/365), and only 20.3% (n=74/365) were above 12 years. Out of the donkeys tested, 11.5% (95% CI: 4.86-18.14) donkeys tested positive for Leptospira antibodies. The most common serovar was Bratislava (81%; n=34/42), followed by Tarassovi (19.04%; n=8/42). While gender was positively associated with seroprevalence of the disease (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=4.88; p=0.0001), the presence of horses (AOR=0.226; p=0.002) and agricultural activities (AOR=0.093; p=0.0001) in the vicinity of the dwellings of the donkeys were negatively associated with Leptospira seropositivity in the study area. Conclusions: Findings reported here show that donkeys in the study area are reservoirs for the predominant serovar Bratislava and the less dominant serovar Tarassovi. The gender of the donkey was a risk factor for Leptospira seroprevalence. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of agricultural activities in the vicinity of the dwellings of donkeys on the occurrence of Leptospira in the study area.
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Publication Date: 2020-09-28 PubMed ID: 33132620PubMed Central: PMC7566248DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2020.2020-2027Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The article presents a study on the occurrence and risk factors of Leptospira, a bacterial disease, in donkeys from Ngaka Modiri Molema District, South Africa, to understand its impact on the animals’ health and productivity, and its potential zoonotic nature.

Objective and Methodology

  • The primary goal of this research was to investigate the seroprevalence, which is the level of a pathogen in a population as measured in blood serum, of Leptospira in donkeys in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West Province, South Africa.
  • The research team also sought to identify risk factors associated with the disease’s prevalence among these animals.
  • The researchers used a cross-sectional study design, a type of observational study that analyzes data from a population, or a representative subset, at a specific point in time.
  • As part of the study, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information related to demographic, environmental, management, and health-associated factors.
  • Blood samples were collected from 365 randomly selected donkeys inhabiting 19 different villages, and these samples were tested using a diagnostic tool, the microscopic agglutination test.
  • The data collected was used to fit a binary logistic regression model, a statistical model that predicts the probability of occurrence of an event by fitting data to a logistic curve, to identify risk factors associated with the seroprevalence of Leptospira.

Results

  • This study found that 29.6% of the tested donkeys were from the Mafikeng local municipality and 19.7% were from Ratlou.
  • In terms of the gender of the donkeys, 58.1% were female, and 41.9% were males.
  • The majority of the donkeys (42.7%) were between 6 and 12 years old.
  • Out of all the tested donkeys, 11.5% were found to be positive for Leptospira antibodies, indicating exposure to the bacterial disease.
  • The most common strain of Leptospira found was Bratislava (81%), followed by Tarassovi (19.04%).
  • Gender appeared to be a risk factor associated with the presence of the disease with males at higher risk. In contrast, the presence of horses and agricultural activities near the donkeys’ dwellings were negatively associated with the occurrence of Leptospira.

Conclusions

  • The study findings suggest that donkeys within the studied geographical area are carriers for the predominant Leptospira serovar, Bratislava, and the less prominent, Tarassovi.
  • Gender was found to be a significant risk factor for the disease’s seroprevalence with males being more susceptible.
  • The researchers recommend further studies to investigate the role of agricultural activities in the vicinity of the donkeys’ dwellings on the occurrence of Leptospira.

Cite This Article

APA
Daddy KK, Mwanza M, Oguttu JW, Ngoma L. (2020). The prevalence and risk factors associated with Leptospira in donkeys in Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West Province, South Africa. Vet World, 13(9), 2020-2027. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2020.2020-2027

Publication

Veterinary world
ISSN: 0972-8988
NlmUniqueID: 101504872
Country: India
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 9
Pages: 2020-2027

Researcher Affiliations

Daddy, Kibambe Kiayima
  • Department of Animal Health, School of Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agriculture Sciences, North West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa.
Mwanza, Mulunda
  • Department of Animal Health, School of Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agriculture Sciences, North West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa.
Oguttu, James Wabwire
  • Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Ngoma, Lubanza
  • Department of Animal Health, School of Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agriculture Sciences, North West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. de Andrade Morais D, Nunes BC, Soares RR, de Oliveira MD, da Costa DF, de Araújo HG, Júnior JPA, Malossi CD, Silva MLCR, de Azevedo SS, Alves CJ. Strong Evidence of the Role of Donkeys in the Epidemiology of Leptospira spp. in Semiarid Conditions.. Microorganisms 2023 Jul 22;11(7).
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  2. Hassan ZM, Manyelo TG, Nemukondeni N, Sebola AN, Selaledi L, Mabelebele M. The Possibility of Including Donkey Meat and Milk in the Food Chain: A Southern African Scenario.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Apr 21;12(9).
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