title: The role of horses in the transmission of leptospirosis in an urban tropical area.
abstract: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the presence of leptospires in equine urine, as evidence for a potential role of horses in transmission of this organism. Thoroughbred horses (aged 2-5 years, n = 276) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were studied. After a severe storm, the premises of the animals remained flooded for 72 h. Blood samples for serology were collected on days 20 and 35 (day of storm = day 0). On day 20, 132 (47·8%) horses were seroreactive (titre ≥200) and, of these, 23 (31·0%) had increased antibody titres on day 35. Furthermore, 34 urine samples (for PCR and culture) were collected from seroreactive horses on day 35. Copenhageni was the most frequent serovar (88·8% of reactive titres). Although none of the urine samples were culture positive, 12 (35·2%) were PCR positive. This is apparently the first report of evidence of leptospires in urban horses. Furthermore, we suggest that these animals can play a role in the transmission of leptospirosis in urban areas.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Bacteriology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamond
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lawson-Ferreira
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lilenbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001938:Brazil; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014505:Urban Population; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial