title: A cross-sectional epidemiological study of domestic animals related to human leptospirosis cases in Nicaragua.
abstract: Leptospirosis is one of the most extended zoonosis worldwide and humans become infected most commonly through contact with the urine of carrier animals, either directly or via contaminated water or soil. The aim in this study was to analyse the epidemiological behaviour of Leptospira spp., from domestic animals around the sites of human leptospirosis cases in Nicaragua, from 2007 through 2013. We report the results of a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a non-probability sampling of blood (n=3050) and urine (n=299) from Domestic Animals (DA) around the sites of human leptospirosis cases in Nicaragua. We analysed data obtained through Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), in-vitro culture, real time PCR and sequencing of lfb1 locus. Frequencies of 30.31% (95% CI: 28.66-31.95) and 15.38% (95% CI: 11.12-19.64) were obtained from serological test and from in-vitro culture, respectively. Although similar frequencies from serology test (P≥0.05) were found in DA species, in-vitro culture frequencies were significantly higher from bovine, equine and sheep (P<0.05) in comparison with swine and canine species. Ten serogroups of pathogenic Leptospira spp. were encountered, with the highest presence of Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup 34.65% (95% CI: 29.35-39.94). We identified 7 samples homologous to L. interrogans species Pyrogenes serovar and 3 samples as L. noguchii Louisiana or Panama serovars by analysis of lfb1 sequences. We were able to establish a temporal and spatial correlation from DA and cumulative incidence of human cases. Therefore an effective epidemiological surveillance should be implemented with a specific control program toward DA in order to reduce human leptospirosis incidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León, Carretera a la Ceiba 1 Km al Este, León, Nicaragua. Electronic address: byronfloressomarriba@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Byron J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pérez-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León, Carretera a la Ceiba 1 Km al Este, León, Nicaragua.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheleby-Elías
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Múzquiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León, Carretera a la Ceiba 1 Km al Este, León, Nicaragua.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jirón
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León, Carretera a la Ceiba 1 Km al Este, León, Nicaragua.
authors.forename: Christianne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duttmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Halaihel
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000382:microbiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs / Q000382:microbiology; D018397:Equidae; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009527:Nicaragua / Q000453:epidemiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D065288:Serogroup; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: Domestic animals; Human cases; Leptospirosis; Nicaragua