title: Detection of wild animals as carriers of Leptospira by PCR in the Pantanal biome, Brazil.
abstract: Leptospiral infection is widespread in wildlife. In this context, wild ecosystems in tropical countries hold a vast biodiversity, including several species that may act as potential reservoirs of leptospires. The Pantanal biome presents highly favorable environmental conditions for the occurrence of leptospirosis, such as high temperatures, constant flooding, and high biodiversity. The purpose of this study was to detect wild animals as carriers of Leptospira sp. using direct methods (PCR and culture) in the Pantanal biome, Brazil. A total of 35 animals were studied, namely Cerdocyon thous, Nasua nasua, Ozotoceros bezoarticus, and Sus scrofa species. Blood for serology (MAT) and urine for bacteriological culturing and PCR was sampled. The most prevalent serogroups were Javanica and Djasiman. Additionally, 40.6% of these animals presented PCR positive reactions. Seroreactivity associated with the high frequency of leptospiral carriers among the different studied species suggests a high level of exposure of the studied animals to pathogenic Leptospira strains. Our results are still limited and the actual role of the studied animals in the epidemiology of leptospirosis in the Pantanal region remains to be elucidated.
authors: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Anahi S
authors: AS
authors: Vieira
authors: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Lorena
authors: L
authors: Narduche
authors: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Martins
authors: Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil; Embrapa Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Igor A H F
authors: IA
authors: Schabib Péres
authors: Embrapa Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Namor P
authors: NP
authors: Zimmermann
authors: Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Raquel S
authors: RS
authors: Juliano
authors: Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
authors: Aiesca O
authors: AO
authors: Pellegrin
authors: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: mipwalt@vm.uff.br.
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Lilenbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D046028:Canidae; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D007919:Leptospira / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045988:Procyonidae / Q000382:microbiology; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Cerdocyon thous; Leptospirosis; Nasua nasua; Ozotoceros bezoarticus; Reservoir; Sus scrofa; Wildlife