Molekularno određivanje Leptospira spp. u uličnim psima i psima iz skloništa u kolumbijskoj Regiji kave

Leptospirosis is considered a zoonotic disease with a substantial impact on animal and human health. It is distributed in tropical and subtropical climates, which improves the survival of these bacteria for a long time, affecting domestic and wild animals that act as a reservoir. Canine leptospirosis has obtained great clinical relevance, due to the susceptibility of this species to infection and the frequent exposure to leptospirosis from the environment. Canines from the street and animal shelters constitute a high-risk population due to the proximity to sources of infection. This paper describes a cross-sectional study that involves sampling dogs from shelters located in the departments of Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, and Caldas, known as the Coffee Region, located in the centre-west of Colombia. Blood samples were taken from 140 canines and analysed in the laboratory of the Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Technological University of Pereira. DNA was extracted, and the LipL32 gene was amplified by conventional PCR. A 15% prevalence for Leptospira sp. was found in dogs from the Coffee region. No correlation was found between the variables such as sex, age, origin, and socioeconomic status. However, a tendency for infection was observed with several cases of diagnosis in female dogs older than six years in low strata. This study constitutes the first report of canine leptospirosis in this region of Colombia, which will allow the design of strategies aiming to mitigate the disease in this region.