Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Serovars of Leptospira in Dogs, Related Human Seropositive

Abstract

To determine the seroprevalence and the main risk factors associated with serovars of Leptospira in dogs from Culiacan, Sinaloa, we obtained serum from the blood samples of 106 dogs, related humans seropositive (blood donors of public hospitals). The samples were stored at -40 °C until use and were analyzed by the microbiology laboratory of the Centro Nacional de Sanidad Animal (CENASA) using the leptospirosis microscopic agglutination test (MAT). An epidemiological survey was conducted in order to identify risk factors. Statistical analyzes were done using the chisquare test. The risk (OR: odds ratio) and the confidence intervals were calculated using the logistic regression model. A value of P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of Leptospira was 17% (18/106), and we identified eleven serovars and their respective frequency: wolffi (66.6%), bratislava (22.2%), australis (16.6%), canicola (11.1%), grippotyphosa (11.1%), pyrogenes (11.1%), hardjo (5.5%), icterohaemorragiae (5.5%), pomona (5.5%), hebdomadis (5.5%), shermani (5.5%). The risk factors associated with the detection of antibodies to this bacteria, based on epidemiological surveys, include the sex of pets female (P<0.05; OR=2.9) and the dogs who stay at home and have access to the street was marginally significant (P=0.06).