Evidence of Leptospira spp. in blood of dogs in a rural community in Yucatan, Mexico

Abstract

Objective. To evidence the frequency of Leptospira spp. in blood of dogs in a rural community in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. Materials and methods. Blood samples were collected from 120 dogs from Maxcanu, Yucatan. Characteristics such as sex, age, and breed were recorded, and owners were asked about the vaccination history. The samples were transported to the laboratory and a polymerase chain reaction diagnostic test was conducted to amplify two fragments of the 16S ribosomal gene belonging to Leptospira spp. Results. The frequency of Leptospira spp. was 1.7% (2/120; 95%CI= 0.2-5.9%). Both positive dogs were male mongrel puppies (mix of breeds) with no vaccination history. Conclusions. There was a low frequency of Leptospira spp. in the blood of the studied dogs. More epidemiological research is needed to identify the Leptospira species involved in the infection and the risk of transmission to the inhabitants or other domestic animals at the study site.