Exposure to Leptospira spp. in sick dogs, shelter dogs and dogs from an endemic area: points to consider
Tostes Oliveira, SimoneBelle Messick, JoanneWelker Biondo, AlexanderPires dos Santos, AndreaStedile, RafaelLarruscaim Dalmolin, MagnusMárcia de Sá Guimaraes, AnaSidi Mohamed, AhmedNastassja Riediger, IrinaHilario Diaz González, Félix
Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Rodents play an important role as maintenance hosts, but dogs can be signifi cant reservoirs for human infection in tropical areas as well as the source of disease outbreaks. Manifestations of disease in dogs vary from asymptomatic carriers to severe clinical signs and death. This study compared leptospiral exposure in dogs suspected to have leptospirosis and presented at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH), dogs from a Control Center of Zoonoses (CCZ) and dogs from a neighborhood with a high prevalence of human leptospirosis. Also, clinical signs, laboratory abnormalities and environmental risk factors associated with the infection were investigated at a population level and in a case-by-case approach.Materials, Methods & Results: Between May 2007 and February 2009, 253 dogs from Porto Alegre, Brazil, were enrolled in the study. Three populations were evaluated including dogs from and endemic area to human leptospirosis, dogs from a CCZ and dogs presented to a VTH. All dogs owners from the endemic area and from the VTH answered a questionnaire including dogs information such as breed, age, vaccination status, environment, contact with other domestic animals, presence of rodents in the household, clinical signs, medications and if owners had leptospirosis diagnosed in the pr
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