Diagnosis of leptospirosis in dogs, cats, rodents, and humans in animal shelters from Botucatu, São Paulo state: A One Health epidemiological approach

• Grant number: 24/06286-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Fornazari
• Grantee: Felipe Fornazari
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fábio Sossai Possebon ; Helio Langoni ; Luiz Gustavo Bentim Góes ; Melissa Hanzen Pinna Valentim

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide importance. Animal shelters are favorable environments for the introduction and dissemination of pathogens, as they have a high population density of dogs and cats, constant presence of animal waste, receive animals of unknown sanitary conditions and have limited resources to treat diseased animals. The present study aims to investigate two animal shelters in Botucatu municipality, São Paulo state. The objectives are: to identify animals that act as reservoirs of leptospirosis; identify transmission routes between animals and humans; genetically characterize leptospires; identify risk factors; and perform the assemblage and annotation of the leptospires genomes. Biological samples will be collected from dogs (blood and urine), cats (blood and urine), rodents (blood, kidney and urine) and humans (blood) from the shelters. Blood samples will be subjected to serological diagnosis using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), while urine and kidney samples will be subjected to microbiological culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Isolated leptospires will be subjected to genetic sequencing, assembly of sequences and annotation of the genes and DNA coding regions. Phylogenetic analysis will be carried out to classify the genotypic identity of the isolated leptospires. Samples positive by qPCR and negative by culture will be subjected to genotyping through the MLST (Multilocus Sequence Typing). The transmission routes will be investigated using two approaches: (1) the genomes or genotypes of leptospires obtained by microbiological or molecular diagnosis, respectively, will be compared; (2) the similarity of serogroups between seropositive animals will be evaluated. The results of MAT and PCR will be used to identify risk factors associated with leptospira exposure/infection in animals and humans. Based on the results, it will be possible to elucidate etiological and epidemiological aspects of leptospirosis in animal shelters, as well as improve prophylactic measures aimed at this zoonosis. (AU)