Abstract
Although leptospirosis has been described in capybaras, usually based on serological evidences, bacterial culture of leptospires has been scarcely reported in this species. The western Amazon is a reportedly endemic area where high seroprevalences have been reported in different species of wildlife, domestic animals and in human beings. The present study aimed at investigating the role of capybaras as carriers of leptospires in periurban and rural areas in the western Amazon region. A total of 44 animals were captured, and 41 blood samples (for serology) and 41 urine samples (for PCR and bacterial culture) were obtained. A total of 18/41 (43.9%) of sera were reactive and titers were generally low, indicating chronic infection. PCR was positive in 13/41 (31.7%) samples, isolates were recovered from urine samples belonging to Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa and Shermani serogroups. A high number of carriers (confirmed by PCR) associated to a tendency for harboring Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup strains could be noticed. Our results suggest that capybaras are massively infected by leptospires. Analogously to Norway rats, capybaras present chronic infection with low titers and long-term bacterial shedding, and may be acting as reservoirs of this bacterium.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
