title: Association between Opisthorchis viverrini and Leptospira spp. infection in endemic Northeast Thailand.
abstract: Opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis viverrini is an important foodborne trematodiasis in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Interestingly, the opisthorchiasis endemic region overlaps with an area of leptospirosis emergence. Here we report an association between opisthorchiasis and leptospirosis in Thailand. Of 280 sera collected from villagers living around the Lawa wetland complex in Khon Kaen province, 199 (71%) were seropositive for leptospirosis by immunochromatography. Individuals with O. viverrini infection had a significantly higher rate of leptospirosis than those without (P=0.001). Significant higher leptospirosis prevalence was found in males than females (P=0.002). However, females but not males with O. viverrini infection showed a significantly higher seroprevalence of leptospirosis. Twenty-one of 35 environmental samples from the lake (water, mud and fish skin mucus) were positive for Leptospira spp. DNA sequencing, sequence alignment, and phylogenetic analysis of some positive nested PCR products revealed both pathogenic and intermediate pathogenic strains of Leptospira in the samples. Strikingly, O. viverrini metacercariae from the fish were positive for L. interrogans. These results suggest a close association between opisthorchiasis and leptospirosis. Contact with water, mud or eating raw fish harboring liver fluke metacercariae may be risk factors for Leptospira infection.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; Center for Public Health & Ecosystem Research, Hanoi School of Public Health, 138 GiangVo st., Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Chinh Dang
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Van
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Thailand.
authors.forename: Galayanee
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Doungchawee
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sutas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suttiprapa
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arimatsu
authors.affiliation: Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sasithorn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaewkes
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand. Electronic address: banchob@kku.ac.th.
authors.forename: Banchob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sripa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009889:Opisthorchiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D009891:Opisthorchis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins
keywords: Lawa wetland; Leptospira spp.; Leptospirosis, metacercariae; Opisthorchis viverrini; Thailand