title: The occurrence of leptospiral antibodies in rural inhabitants of Argentina.
abstract: Sera collected during surveys of presumably healthy rural inhabitants of the Provinces of Corrientes and Neuquén, Argentina, were examined for serological evidence of leptospirosis. Significant antibody levels (1:100 or greater) were found in 8.7 per cent of 1,029 sera from residents of Corrientes Province. The most frequent reactions occurred against the serotypes australis, hebdomadis group, pomona, and icterohaemorrhagiae. The predominance of antibodies to the Australis group in the country is new and suggests the emergence of leptospirosis in an unrecognized animal reservoir host. Out of 706 sera collected from rural school students and sera from 71 adults in the Province of Neuquén, only 4 (0.5%) showed leptospiral agglutinin in the microscopic agglutination test and these were only at a 1:100 serum dilution. The higher percentage of reactors in the Corrientes population appears to reflect a more favorable environment and a greater risk of infection.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000373:Agglutinins / Q000032:analysis; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001118:Argentina; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population
chemical_list: D000373:Agglutinins; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial