Prevalence and risk factors associated with serovars of Leptospira in dogs from Culiacan, Sinaloa

Veterinaria Mexico OA ISSN: 2448-6760 Cite this as: Hernandez Ramirez CV, Gaxiola Camacho SM, Osuna Ramirez I, Enriquez Verdugo I, Castro del Campo N, Lopez Moreno HS. Prevalence and risk factors associated with serovars of Leptospira in dogs from Culiacan, Sinaloa. Veterinaria Mexico OA 2017;4(2).doi: 10.21753/vmoa.4.2.369 Domestic dogs transmit Leptospira spp. to humans, and determining the health risk that they represent is of paramount importance. To determine the seroprevalence and main risk factors associated with serovars of Leptospira in dogs from Culiacan, Sinaloa, we obtained serum samples from 165 dogs. The samples were stored at -40 °C and were analysed by the microbiology laboratory at Centro Nacional de Sanidad Animal using the leptospirosis microscopic agglutination test. Additionally, a survey was performed to identify epidemiological risk factors, and statistical inference was determined using chi-square test, odd ratios, and logistic regression with a statistical significance set at P < 0.05. The prevalence of Leptospira was 9 % (15/165), and we identified seven serovars: canicola 17 (46 %), icterohaemorrhagiae (40 %), bratislava (40 %), grippotyphosa (33 %), shermani (33 %), pyrogenes (20 %) and ballum (13 %). Based on our epidemiological survey, the risk factors associated with the detection of antibodies against Leptospira include the permanent habitation of pets in courtyards (OR = 4.6, P < 0.05) and presence of water stored in drums and basins (OR = 3.25, P < 0.05). The prevalence of leptospirosis in dogs indicates that the disease is present in the city of Culiacan and that leptospiral antibodies in dogs increase in poor sanitary conditions with stored water, which increases the potential risk of infection for both humans and animals. Figure 1. Frequency of observed serovars of Leptospira