[Seroprevalence of Leptospira spp in population groups of Villavicencio, Colombia].
OBJECTIVE
Determining Leptospira spp . antibody seroprevalence in an apparently healthy population and in groups at risk plus their associated factors in the town of Villavicencio in the Meta department of Colombia


METHODS
A cross-sectional epidemiological model was used (subjects being selected by convenience sampling). Blood-samples were obtained by cubital puncture from (n: 503) people, consisting of 230 first semester students from different programmes at the Universidad de los Llanos and 273 people corresponding to 8 groups at risk. Information regarding risk factor was obtained from interviewing the 503 people. A commercial indirect ELISA kit (Pambio) was used for determining IgM antibodies.


RESULTS
Seroprevalence was 5,2 % in the low risk group. There was 19 % seroprevalence for groups at risk, 7 % for the group of people working in slaughterhouses, 17 % for vets and small animal clinic assistants, 17 % for students in their last year of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnia, 21 % for people milking cows on dual-purpose farms, 23 % for people working in rice-fields, 35 % for people working on pig-farms and 48 % for those working on fish-farms. Three factors were found to be associated: rural social level, having a pet dog and coming into contact with rodents in the workplace.


CONCLUSIONS
A high seroprevalence for Leptospira spp was found in the groups at risk, people working on pig-farms and fish-farms being those most affected. There was a 1,86 relative risk in both groups indicated as having a greater risk of contagion amongst the population suffering occupational exposure.
Góngora
Agustín
A
Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de los Llanos, Colombia. agongora@unillanos.edu.co
Parra
Jorge
J
Aponte
Luz
L
Gómez
Luz
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M