Urinary shedding of pathogenic Leptospira in stray dogs and cats, Algiers: A prospective study

Abstract

BackgroundLeptospirosis is an important worldwide zoonosis. This disease is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira which are maintained in the environment via chronic renal infection of carrier animals which can be asymptomatic excretors of the organisms in their urines and become a source of infection for humans and other hosts. The prevalence of animal leptospirosis in Algiers, Algeria, is unknown.Methodology/principal findingsReal-time PCR and standard PCR and sequencing were used to detect pathogenic Leptospira organisms in the urines of stray dogs and cats in Algiers. In the presence of appropriate controls, none of the 107 cat urine samples were positive while 5/104 (4.8%) canine urine samples (asymptomatic mixed-breed dogs, three females and two males) were positive in two real-time PCR assays targeting the rrs and hsp genes. The positivity of these samples was confirmed by partial PCR-sequencing of the rpoB gene which yielded 100% sequence similarity with Leptospira interrogans reference sequence. In this study, L. interrogans prevalence was significantly higher in dogs aged < one year (16.46% - 29.41%) than in adults (0%) (P value = 0.0001) and then in the overall dog population (2.68% - 4.8%) (P = 0.0007).Conclusions/significanceThese results suggest that dogs are maintenance hosts for zoonotic leptospirosis in Algiers, Algeria. To face this situation, effective canine vaccination strategies and raising public health awareness are mandatory. Further investigations incorporating a larger sample in more localities will be undertaken to document the epidemiology of urban animal leptospirosis in Algeria at large.

Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira kirschneri are the dominant Leptospira species causing human leptospirosis in Central Malaysia

“…These data show that although similar species could be isolated from human and rodents, they are genetically different. Furthermore, Leptospira could be shed by other mammals like dogs, bats, livestock; hence, the reservoirs discovery deserves further research [61][62][63][64][65].…”

Leptospiral shedding and seropositivity in shelter dogs in the Cumberland Gap Region of Southeastern Appalachia

“…Other studies have shown prevalence to be 8.2% (USA) [26], 7.05% (Ireland) [27], 14.2% (Brazil) [28], 3.7% (Columbia) [29], 4.8% (Algeria) [30], and 7.6% (New Caledonia) [31]. Classically, L. interrogans serovars, especially Canicola have been associated with asymptomatic renal carriage in dogs [32].…”

Leptospira Detection in Cats in Spain by Serology and Molecular Techniques

“…Several studies in different geographical areas have demonstrated that cats have contact with Leptospira since they develop specific antibodies ranging from 4% to 33.3%, with no clear association to clinical disease [13][14][15][16][17]. Urinary shedding of Leptospira DNA has also been documented in cats, with a prevalence ranging up to 67.8% depending on various factors including the geographical area, the presence in the area of farm animals infected with leptospires, and prey habits [7,14,15,[18][19][20][21]. Furthermore, a recent study investigated the ability of cats to excrete viable bacteria through urine (p. 227, [19]), suggesting the possibility that cats can spread the bacteria by urine and infect humans.…”