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Revista Cubana de Medicina Tropical
On-line version ISSN 1561-3054
Abstract
ZAMBRANO GAVILANES, María Patricia et al. Seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in pigs raised in Portoviejo, Ecuador. Rev Cubana Med Trop [online]. 2020, vol.72, n.3 Epub Feb 08, 2021. ISSN 1561-3054.
Introduction:
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira sp. bacteria. It affects a large number of mammals, including humans, and is considered to be one of the most widely distributed zoonotic diseases worldwide.
Objective:
Determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. and the risk factors associated to leptospirosis in some pig populations from Portoviejo.
Methods:
A descriptive study was conducted from October 2018 to March 2019 of pigs raised in parishes from Portoviejo Canton in Manabí, Ecuador. A total 280 blood samples were collected (115 from pigs raised technically and 165 from pigs raised in backyards), 140 in the rainy season (January-March) and 140 in the dry season (October-December), so that the samples were representative of the two seasons. Serological diagnosis was performed with the microscopic agglutination test.
Results:
In technical breeding, seroprevalence was 16.52% (19/115), whereas in backyard breeding it was 20.61% (34/165). It was most common in serovars Australis and Icterohaemorrhagiae, with 14.28% (40/280), respectively, and Bataviae with 13.21% (37/280). Risk associated to Leptospira infection was greater in sows, in pig populations which drank river water, and in areas where wild rodent control was not present.
Conclusions:
Seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. was moderate in technical and backyard pig raising populations, but it is a potential hazard for the human population exposed. In both breeding systems, the most common serovars were Australis, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Bataviae.
Keywords : Leptospira spp.; seroprevalence; antibodies; potential hazard; pigs.