title: Leptospira interrogans in Rodents from Cape Verde.
abstract: Leptospirosis is an important worldwide zoonotic disease that can infect both animals and humans. In most cases, leptospirosis is a nonspecific self-limiting illness, but some patients can develop a severe form with a high mortality. This study was carried out in Santiago Island, Cape Verde, in 2012-2013. A total of 62 wild rodents (Rattus rattus and Mus domesticus) were analyzed. The lipL32 gene, present only in pathogenic Leptospira spp., was amplified by PCR, and 16 samples were positive (25.8%). In both rodent species, Leptospira interrogans was identified. The results show the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in the three localities analyzed in Santiago. The presence of L. interrogans demonstrates a serious health risk for the population, since this species has been associated with the most severe form of leptospirosis, the Weil's disease in humans, a severe infection with jaundice, renal failure, and hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna , La Laguna, Spain .
authors.forename: Josué
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plata-Luis
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna , La Laguna, Spain .
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Foronda
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna , La Laguna, Spain .
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín-Alonso
authors.affiliation: 2 Departamento de Parasitologia y Microbiologia Sanitarias. Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain .
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feliu
authors.affiliation: 3 INSP/Ministério da Saúde , Praia, Cabo Verde.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: 4 Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Madrid, Spain .
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Universitario de Enfermedades Tropicales y Salud Pública de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna , La Laguna, Spain .
authors.forename: Basilio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valladares
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055726:Cabo Verde / Q000453:epidemiology; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Leptospira interrogans; cape verde; leptospirosis; rodent-borne