Pesquisa de anticorpos anti-Leptospira em cães e gatos na cidade de Pelotas/RS

Abstract

Leptospirosis is endemic in major urban centers in Brazil, affecting various mammals, including humans. Although significant seroprevalences have been observed in cat populations worldwide, clinical reports and serological surveys of leptospirosis are relatively rare in Brazil. On the other hand, canines are considered important sources of infection for humans, despite the existence of commercial vaccines for this species. The serological diagnosis of leptospirosis is performed through the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), considered the gold standard test and appropriate for epidemiological studies. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in domiciled cats and dogs in Pelotas, southern Brazil. Blood samples from 101 cats and 240 dogs were used for the detection of anti-leptospiral antibodies. Information about the animals, including sex, age, breed, and area of residence, was collected, indicating that all animals were domiciled. In the cat study, the overall seroprevalence was 13.8%. The frequency of seropositive animals by sex was 64.3% (n=9; 95% CI = 38.3 - 83.6%) for males and 35.7% for females, with no statistical difference between sexes (p > 0.05). The most prevalent serogroups were Icterohaemorrhagiae followed by Canicola. From the 240 dog serum samples, information about the animals such as sex, 151 females and 89 males, age, breed, and neighborhood was also provided. Of the total sera, 56 tested positive in the MAT. Among the most prevalent serovars, Canicola accounted for 51.7%, followed by Grippotyphosa with 46.4%. Regarding sex, of the 56 positive sera, 37 were females and 19 were males. Given its zoonotic status, considering the significant seroprevalence reported in this study and the increasing concern of urban leptospirosis as a neglected disease in the One Health context, it is concluded that serological and epidemiological studies should be designed to examine populations of dogs and cats in neighborhoods of Pelotas with historical flooding problems and high rodent populations, in order to determine the real potential of these animals to act as reservoirs of the disease in the municipality.