scholarly journals New Insights on Leptospira Infections in a Canine Population from North Sardinia, Italy: A Sero-Epidemiological Study

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 507
Author(s):  
Ivana Piredda ◽  
Maria Nicoletta Ponti ◽  
Angela Piras ◽  
Bruna Palmas ◽  
Pierangela Pintore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Species ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Agglutination Test ◽  
Sequence Type ◽  
Mediterranean Environment ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
The North ◽  
Canine Population ◽  
Leptospira Species ◽  
Collection Sites

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis recognized as a re-emerging infectious disease in a wide variety of animal species, including humans and dogs. No data exist regarding the presence of Leptospira species in the canine population of Sardinia Island. This study reports the first sero-survey for leptospirosis in kennel and owned dogs from six areas of the north of Sardinia. Sera from 1296 dogs were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) specific for nine different serovars that are known to be well widespread in the Mediterranean environment. Moreover, kidney homogenates from rodents collected from the study area were also analyzed by LipL32 real-time PCR and multi-locus sequence type (MLST) on the basis of the analysis of seven concatenated loci. A total of 13% of the examined sera (95%CI: 11–15) tested positive for one or more serovars of Leptospira MAT detected; antibodies for serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae (57%; 95%CI: 49–65) were the most common, followed by serovars Bratislava (22%; 95%CI: 16–28), Canicola (14%; 95%CI: 9–19), and Grippotyphosa (7%; 95%CI: 3–11). MLST analyses on isolates from rodents identified L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii genomospecies. Different serovars belonging to pathogenic Leptospira serogroups are circulating in dogs from the island. Moreover, data obtained from rodents, indicated that rodents likely act as reservoir of spirochetes. Further sero-epidemiological studies are needed in order to obtain data from other collection sites in Sardinia and to increase the information on Leptospira species circulating in this area.

scholarly journals Distribution of the leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (lig) genes in pathogenic Leptospira species and application of ligB to typing leptospiral isolates

2009 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
pp. 1173-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo M. Cerqueira ◽  
Alan J. A. McBride ◽  
Mathieu Picardeau ◽  
Samuel G. Ribeiro ◽  
Ângela N. Moreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Reliable Identification ◽  
Specific Pcr ◽  
The Family ◽  
Leptospira Species

The family of leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (lig) genes comprises ligA, ligB and ligC. This study used PCR to demonstrate the presence of lig genes among serovars from a collection of leptospiral strains and clinical isolates. Whilst ligA and ligC appeared to be present in a limited number of pathogenic serovars, the ligB gene was distributed ubiquitously among all pathogenic strains. None of the lig genes were detected among intermediate or saprophytic Leptospira species. It was also shown that, similar to the previously characterized secY gene, a short specific PCR fragment of ligB could be used to correctly identify pathogenic Leptospira species. These findings demonstrate that ligB is widely present among pathogenic strains and may be useful for their reliable identification and classification.

Prevalence of Leptospira antibodies in wild boars (Sus scrofa) from Northern Portugal: risk factor analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 143 (10) ◽  
pp. 2126-2130 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. VALE-GONÇALVES ◽  
J. A. CABRAL ◽  
M. C. FARIA ◽  
M. NUNES-PEREIRA ◽  
A. S. FARIA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wild Boar ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
One Health ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Agglutination Test ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Northern Portugal ◽  
Antibodies Detection

SUMMARYLeptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution, caused by infection with pathogenic spirochaetes of the genus Leptospira. The wild boar (Sus scrofa), an important hunting species in Europe, seems to play a significant role in the epidemiological cycle of leptospirosis. A total of 101 serum samples from wild boar hunted in Northern Portugal were analysed for leptospiral antibodies detection by microscopic agglutination test. Sera were collected during hunting seasons (2011–2013) and tested with 17 different pathogenic serovars of Leptospira. Antibodies against nine serovars were detected in 66 (65·4%) of these sera. Serovars Tarassovi and Altodouro exhibited the highest seroreactivity rates (23·8% and 16·8%, respectively), followed by Autumnalis (7·9%) and Bratislava (6·9%). Age and district of origin were found to be risk factors for the presence of leptospiral antibodies in contrast to gender. From a One Health perspective, this study revealed that wild boar should be considered as a potential source of leptospirosis dissemination for humans and animal species (domestic and wild) in shared environments, particularly in the Trás-os-Montes region.

scholarly journals Molecular characterisation of Leptospira strains in Pakistan

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-421
Author(s):  
Muhammad Luqman Sohail ◽  
Muhammad Sarwar Khan ◽  
Muhammad Avais ◽  
Muhammad Yasir Zahoor ◽  
Irfan Khattak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Molecular Detection ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Intermediate Species ◽  
Specific Primers ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Serological Studies

Abstract Introduction: Leptospirosis affects a wide range of mammals, humans, and even a few poikilothermic animal species. In Pakistan, serological studies of equine leptospirosis have reported a prevalence of over 40%, but no study has ever been conducted towards molecular detection of Leptospira in horses. Material and Methods: Blood samples from 128 horses were screened using ELISA and 41 positive samples were examined for the presence of leptospiral DNA using specific primers for 16S rRNA gene. Results: Out of 41 tested samples, 20 samples were found to be PCR-positive, revealing a fragment of 306 bp after gel electrophoresis. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of positive samples revealed circulation of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in Pakistani horses. No evidence of circulation of intermediate species was found in this study. Conclusion: This study reports the first molecular evidence of equine leptospirosis in Pakistan and lays ground for further research in this area. It also confirms the efficiency of 16S rRNA for the diagnosis of equine leptospirosis.

scholarly journals Potentially Pathogenic Leptospira in the Environment of an Elephant Camp in Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Somjit Chaiwattanarungruengpaisan ◽  
Wasinee Thepapichaikul ◽  
Weena Paungpin ◽  
Kanokwan Ketchim ◽  
Sarin Suwanpakdee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Gene Sequencing ◽  
Shared Environment ◽  
High Similarity ◽  
Sampling Area ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Recreational Activities ◽  
Infection Source ◽  
Culture Positive ◽  
Leptospira Species

Leptospira is the causative agent of leptospirosis, a globally emerging zoonotic disease. The infection is commonly acquired through contact with the contaminated environment. To extend the knowledge on environmental source of leptospirosis, we investigated the presence of Leptospira in an elephant camp setting where the interaction between humans, animals, and the shared environment occur particularly when engaging in recreational activities. In this study, a total of 24 environmental samples were collected from an elephant camp area in western Thailand. All samples were processed for Leptospira isolation using the EMJH medium. The identification of Leptospira species was carried out by partial 16S rRNA and secY gene sequencing. Of those 24 samples, 18 samples (75%) were culture-positive for Leptospira. The recovered leptospires were mostly derived from water and soil sampled from a river and a mud pond, the main areas for recreational activities. The majority of the isolates were classified into “Pathogens” clade (89%, 16/18) and more than half of the isolates (61%, 11/18) contained species of the “Saprophytes” clade. Notably, two soil isolates from the river beach sampling area were found to contain leptospiral DNA with high similarity to the pathogenic L. interrogans and L. santarosai. The evidence of diverse Leptospira species, particularly those belonging to the “Pathogens” clade, suggest that the shared environments of an elephant camp can serve as potential infection source and may pose a risk to the elephant camp tourists and workers.

scholarly journals In Silico Analysis of Genetic VapC Profiles from the Toxin-Antitoxin Type II VapBC Modules among Pathogenic, Intermediate, and Non-Pathogenic Leptospira

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Alexandre Lopes ◽  
Bruna Azevedo ◽  
Rebeca Emídio ◽  
Deborah Damiano ◽  
Ana Nascimento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
In Silico Analysis ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Protein Alignment ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Leptospira Spp ◽  
Unique Species ◽  
Silico Analysis ◽  
Leptospira Species ◽  
Complex Manner

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. is the etiological agent of leptospirosis. The high diversity among Leptospira species provides an array to look for important mediators involved in pathogenesis. Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems represent an important survival mechanism on stress conditions. vapBC modules have been found in nearly one thousand genomes corresponding to about 40% of known TAs. In the present study, we investigated TA profiles of some strains of Leptospira using a TA database and compared them through protein alignment of VapC toxin sequences among Leptospira spp. genomes. Our analysis identified significant differences in the number of putative vapBC modules distributed in pathogenic, saprophytic, and intermediate strains: four in L. interrogans, three in L. borgpetersenii, eight in L. biflexa, and 15 in L. licerasiae. The VapC toxins show low identity among amino acid sequences within the species. Some VapC toxins appear to be exclusively conserved in unique species, others appear to be conserved among pathogenic or saprophytic strains, and some appear to be distributed randomly. The data shown here indicate that these modules evolved in a very complex manner, which highlights the strong need to identify and characterize new TAs as well as to understand their regulation networks and the possible roles of TA systems in pathogenic bacteria.

scholarly journals Low Prevalence of Leptospira Carriage in Rodents in Leptospirosis-Endemic Northeastern Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
Panadda Krairojananan ◽  
Janjira Thaipadungpanit ◽  
Surachai Leepitakrat ◽  
Taweesak Monkanna ◽  
Elizabeth W. Wanja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Carriage Rate ◽  
Pathogenic Leptospira ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Rdna Sequencing ◽  
Rodent Populations ◽  
Leptospira Species ◽  
Northeastern Thailand

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease affecting mostly the world’s tropical regions. The rural people of northeastern Thailand suffer from a large number of leptospirosis infections, and their abundant rice fields are optimal rodent habitats. To evaluate the contribution of diversity and carriage rate of pathogenic Leptospira in rodent reservoirs to leptospirosis incidence, we surveyed rodents, between 2011 and 2012, in four provinces in northeastern Thailand with the highest incidence rates of human leptospirosis cases. We used lipL32 real-time PCR to detect pathogenic Leptospira in rodent kidneys, partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing to classify the infecting Leptospira species, and whole 16S rDNA sequencing to classify species of isolated Leptospira. Overall prevalence of Leptospira infection was 3.6% (18/495). Among infected rodents, Bandicotaindica (14.3%), Rattusexulans (3.6%), and R. rattus (3.2%) had renal carriage. We identified two pathogenic Leptospira species: L. interrogans (n = 15) and L. borgpetersenii (n = 3). In addition, an L. wolffii (LS0914U) isolate was recovered from the urine of B. indica. Leptospira infection was more prevalent in low density rodent populations, such as B. indica. In contrast, there was a lower prevalence of Leptospira infection in high density rodent populations of R. exulans and R. rattus.

scholarly journals Protocol for the Sri Lankan Cerebral Palsy Register pilot study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. e039353
Author(s):  
Thilini Madushika Heiyanthuduwage ◽  
Samanmali P Sumanasena ◽  
Gopi Kitnasamy ◽  
Hayley Smithers Sheedy ◽  
Gulam Khandaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Teaching Hospital ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Data Repository ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The North

IntroductionCerebral palsy (CP) describes a heterogeneous group of motor disorders resulting from disturbance in the developing brain. CP occurs in approximately 2.1 per 1000 live births in high-income countries, but in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the prevalence and severity of CP may be greater and aetiological risk factors different. In Sri Lanka, a LMIC, there have been no epidemiological studies of CP to date. Systematically collected data are required to identify opportunities for primary and secondary prevention, to plan and establish services to support children and adults with CP and their families and to act as a sampling frame for new research. Here we describe a pilot study protocol for a CP register in Sri Lanka.Methods and analysisThe aim of this study is to establish a CP register in Sri Lanka. We will use different surveillance methodologies in two provinces of Sri Lanka: hospital and community surveillance in the Western Province and community surveillance in the Eastern Province. A common record form will collect demographic, clinical and service data for children with CP <18 years living in these two provinces. Data will be transferred to a secure online data repository and used to describe the epidemiology of CP in these regions. We will describe the strengths and challenges of the surveillance mechanisms and estimate the resources required for ongoing hospital and community based surveillance in the Western and Eastern provinces and to include additional provinces across the country.Ethics and disseminationThis study has ethical clearance from The University of Kelaniya, National Health Research Council, the Institutional Ethics Review Committee of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo South Teaching Hospital and the Director of the North Colombo Teaching Hospital. Results from this research will be disseminated through local and international conferences and through publications in peer-reviewed journals.

scholarly journals Current status of stroke in Qatar: Including data from the BRAINS study

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 204800401986916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebrima Jallow ◽  
Hassan Al Hail ◽  
Thang S Han ◽  
Sapna Sharma ◽  
Dirk Deleu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Worker ◽  
South Asians ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Migrant Populations ◽  
The North ◽  
Incidence And Mortality ◽  
Majority Population

Background Qatar is located on the north-eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Qatari natives account for less than 15% of the population while the largest migrant group comprising 60% derives from South Asia. Despite projections that stroke burden in Qatar will increase with population ageing, epidemiological studies focusing on stroke in Qatar are relatively scarce. Method We reviewed the available epidemiological publications relating to Qatar. In addition, we have added to this knowledge by incorporating Qatari data from the on-going Bio-Repository of DNA in Stroke, an independent multinational database of stroke patients. Results Qatar has low reported incidence and mortality rates of 58 and 9.17 per 100,000 per year, respectively, which may be explained by its middle-aged migrant worker majority population. Correspondingly, South Asian migrants in Qatar suffered younger strokes than Qatari natives (48.7 vs 63.4 years, P < 0.001). Among the most common risk factors identified in stroke patients were hypertension (77.9%), diabetes (43.8%) and hypercholesterolemia (28.5%). Ischaemic stroke was the most frequent subtype amongst migrant South Asians (71.1%). The majority of stroke cases had computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging scans, but only 11.1% of ischaemic strokes were thrombolysed. Qataris on one-year follow up were more often found to have died (6.5% vs 0.3%) and had further stroke/transient ischaemic attack events (17.4% vs 6.4%, P = 0.009) compared to South Asians. Conclusion The burden of stroke is increasing in Qatar, and considerable disparities are observed between the native and migrant populations which likely will require different approaches to management by its healthcare system.

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