Abstract
In Nicaragua, there are ideal environmental conditions for leptospirosis. The objective of this investigation was to detect pathogenic and saprophytic leptospires in water and soil samples from leptospirosis-endemic areas in Nicaragua. Seventy-eight water and 42 soil samples were collected from houses and rivers close to confirmed human cases. Leptospira spp was isolated in Ellinghausen–McCullough–Johnson–Harris (EMJH) culture medium with 5-fluororacil and positive samples were analyzed through PCR for the LipL32 gene, specific for pathogenic leptospires (P1 clade). There were 73 positive cultures from 120 samples, however only six of these (5% of all collected samples) were confirmed to be pathogenic, based on the presence of the LipL32 gene (P1 clade). Of these six pathogenic isolates, four were from Leon and two from Chinandega. Four pathogenic isolates were obtained from water and two from soil. This study proved the contamination of water and soil with pathogenic leptospires, which represents a potential risk for public health.
Highlights
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis that significantly affects public health worldwide
Seventy-eight water samples and 42 soil samples were collected, within a radius of 100 m from homes with a case of human leptospirosis reported by the Ministry of Health (MINSA), and in rivers that are used for recreational purposes
The analysis for each type of sample showed that 20/29 samples of stored water and 21/35 samples of water taken from rivers were positive to the isolation of spirochetes (p ≥ 0.05), while 12/20 soil samples taken from puddles and 8/22 taken from rivers showed growth (p ≥ 0.05)
Summary
The number of cases in recent years has increased, accounting for more than 500,000 each year [1]. This infectious disease is usually endemic in regions with tropical and subtropical climates due to the high humidity [2]. Rural environment and work occupation are considered important risk factors [3,4]. This disease is classified as an occupational risk for veterinarians, sewer cleaners, miners, animal breeders and soldiers. Recreational aquatic activities have been identified as a risk factor as a result of immersion in contaminated water [5]
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