Prevalence of <i>Leptospira</i> spp. in various species of small mammals caught in an inner-city area in Switzerland

Adler, H. E.; Vonstein, S.; Deplazes, Peter; Stieger, C.; Frei, Remus

doi:10.1017/s0950268801006380

Cited by 29 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…e above-mentioned authors obtained the results using the same method as that of our study. Considering this, the paper by Adler et al (2002) is interesting because these authors used a new and modern method of PCR assay to detect leptospires. Employing this method they found DNA of leptospires in kidneys of small mammals in the area of Zurich in 12.6% of cases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammals - natural reservoir of pathogenic leptospires

Treml¹,

Pejčoch²,

Holešovská³

2002

Vet. Med. - Czech

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A total of 429 specimens belonging to 9 species of small mammals, trapped in various areas of the Czech Republic during the year 2001, were examined for antibodies against leptospires. Antibodies were found in all localities under study in 50 specimens, i.e., 11.6%, belonging to 5 species. Antibodies were most often , i.e., in 42% of positives, found in Microtus arvalis. In Apodemus spp. and Clethrionomys glareolus it was in 34.0% and 14.0% of positives, respectively. In other specimens belonging to Mus musculus and Microtus subterraneus antibodies were found only on occasion. Antibodies against L. grippotyphosa serotype were only found. Titres varied from 100 to 12 800 and most reactions in positive individuals were at lower dilutions, i.e., up to the titre of 800 in 40 cases (80%). e results proved the already known fact of dominant persistence of leptospiral foci of the grippotyphosa type in the Czech Republic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammals - natural reservoir of pathogenic leptospires

Treml¹,

Pejčoch²,

Holešovská³

2002

Vet. Med. - Czech

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“…Leptospirosis is one of the most common bacterial zoonoses worldwide [1]. In the past decade, leptospirosis has emerged as a globally important infectious disease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leptospira spp. Prevalence in Small Mammal Populations in Cotonou, Benin

Houémènou

Ahmed²,

Libois

et al. 2013

ISRN Epidemiology

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The aim of this study was to assess the Leptospira prevalence in small animals in Cotonou, the capital of Benin. Rodents and shrews were captured in urban and periurban settings and determined as species of the genera Rattus, Mastomys, and Crocidura. Kidney specimens of 90 animals were examined using a real-time PCR assay specific for leptospires that belong to pathogenic species. Leptospiral DNA was amplified from kidney tissues ranging from 13.3% (8/60) in Rattus rattus to 100.0% (1/1) in Crocidura spp. with an average of 18.9% (17/90) of the animals caught at 15 locations. Clade-specific Taqman PCR on 10 samples placed six of these within clade 1 comprising the species L. kirschneri, L. interrogans, L. meyeri, and L. noguchii and four within clade 2 consisting of species L. weilii, L. alexanderi, L. borgpetersenii, and L. santarosai. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of the amplicons of seven samples of these 10 samples revealed that four of the clade 1 samples could equally be assigned to L. interrogans and L. kirschneri and three samples from clade 2 belonged to L. borgpetersenii. Results presented in the paper indicate that small mammals present a major public health risk for acquiring leptospirosis in Cotonou, Benin and will contribute to a raised awareness amongst health care workers and decision makers and hence promote appropriate clinical management of cases.

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“…Human infection results from exposure to urine of infected animals (rodents, cattle, dogs) by direct cutaneous contact or indirect contact through contaminated water. A study in the city of Zurich found that 12% of kidneys removed from rodents were infected by leptospirosis [3] . A French case-control study in 1999 identified the following risk factors for contracting leptospirosis in 102 patients: pre-existing wounds (odds ratio 7.5), profession (odds ratio 5.0), aquatic leisure (odds ratio 9.1) and contact with rodents (odds ratio 3.0) [4] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%