title: Animal leptospirosis in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: reported outbreaks and literature review (2002-2014).
abstract: Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease whose transmission is linked through multiple factors in the animal-human-ecosystem interface. The data on leptospirosis reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries/sovereign territories from 2005-2011 were mapped, showing a wide distribution of outbreaks in the region. Tropical terrestrial biomes are the predominate ecosystems showing reports of outbreaks. Climatic and ecological factors were relevant to the occurrence of epidemic outbreaks. The available scientific information from 2002-2014 was summarized to obtain a general overview and identify key issues related to the One Health approach. The primary serological test used for diagnosis and for conducting surveys was the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Reports regarding the isolation and typing of leptospires were scattered and limited to data from a few countries, but their results revealed considerable biodiversity at the species and serovar levels. A total of six out of 11 currently named pathogenic species were found in the region. There was also high diversity of animal species showing evidence of infection by leptospires, including rodents, pets, livestock and wild animals. Prevention and control measures for leptospirosis should consider issues of animal and human health in the context of ecosystems, the territorial land borders of countries and trade.
authors.affiliation: The National Reference Laboratory of World Organization for Animal Health, National Service of Agrifood Health and Quality (SENASA), Buenos Aires, CP C1063ACD, Argentina. jpetrako@senasa.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petrakovsky
authors.affiliation: The National Reference Laboratory of World Organization for Animal Health, National Service of Agrifood Health and Quality (SENASA), Buenos Aires, CP C1063ACD, Argentina. abianchi@senasa.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO, 525, 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20037, USA. hfisun@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fisun
authors.affiliation: Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO, 525, 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20037, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nájera-Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ, WHO Collaborating Centre for Leptospirosis, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil. mpereira@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Martha Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D002980:Climate; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D007919:Leptospira / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012703:Serotyping; D015047:Zoonoses