Leptospira interrogans in mammals in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine, 2001-2015.

Olena Zubach,Aleksander Zinchuk,Mykhaylo Demchyshyn,Lesya Hatsji,Oksana Semenyshyn,Melissa J Caimano

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007793

Abstract

This study describes changes in the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans infections among small mammals, including rats and larger domestic and wild mammals in Lviv Oblast, a region in western Ukraine from 2001–2015, using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). A total of 439,948 domestic or wild animals were tested. We found the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans exposure varied among tested species and changed over the time. Infection was significantly less common in domestic animals, than in wild rodents. In swine the overall seroprevalence was 0.51%, while in cattle it was 0.19%. In dogs it was higher—2.75%. After 2006, evidence of infection was only observed in swine among domestic animals. The prevalence among large wild animals (0.25%) was similar to that among domestic animals. Among small mammals and rats, seroprevalence was most commonly observed among Rattus norvegicus (18.44%) and it was less common among other wild small mammals (8.74%). There were two dominant serogroups among large wild and domestic animals–L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. hebdomadis while among wild small mammals the two most common were L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L. grippotyphosa. Wild animals with antibodies were found throughout the entire oblast.

Highlights

Leptospira interrogans is a bacterial pathogen that infects numerous species of mammals, causing disease in both people and domestic animals globally
This study describes changes in the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans infections among small mammals, including rats and larger domestic and wild mammals in Lviv Oblast, a region in western Ukraine from 2001–2015, using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT)
We found the prevalence of Leptospira interrogans exposure varied among tested species and changed over the time

Summary

Introduction

Leptospira interrogans is a bacterial pathogen that infects numerous species of mammals, causing disease in both people and domestic animals globally. It includes numerous serotypes that tend to occur predominantly in small subsets of species [1]. In Ukraine, surveillance for L. interrogans serogroups, in animals, is performed annually as part of the responsibilities on the State and National government. Collected samples are screened serologically for evidence of recent infection and reported by species. This surveillance is performed because leptospirosis in humans is relatively common, and a nationally reportable disease [2, 3]. There were 323 cases of the disease in humans registered in 2016, and 332 cases in 2017

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Conclusion