Laboratory diagnosis of leptospirosis in rodents, dogs, and humans in animal shelters in the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo: a One Health approach

• Grant number: 24/01388-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Fornazari
• Grantee: Anna Luisa Pizzaia Henrique
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Animal shelters are favorable environments for the introduction and spread of pathogens because they are characterized by high population density of dogs, constant presence of excreta, intake of animals with unknown sanitary conditions, and limited resources for the treatment of sick animals. The present study aims to investigate leptospirosis, a globally important zoonosis, in two shelters in the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo. The objectives are to: identify animals acting as reservoirs of leptospirosis; identify transmission pathways between animals and humans; genetically characterize leptospires; and identify risk factors associated with exposure/infection. Biological samples will be collected from dogs (blood and urine), rodents (blood and kidney), and humans (blood). Blood samples will undergo serological diagnosis using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), while urine and kidney samples will undergo microbiological culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Samples positive by culture or qPCR will undergo genotyping using the Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) technique. Transmission pathways will be investigated using two approaches: (1) the similarity of genotypes identified among positive animals will be evaluated; (2) the similarity of serogroups among seropositive animals will be assessed. Both approaches will utilize statistical tests to determine if there are common genotypes and/or serogroups among the individuals studied. The results obtained will elucidate etiological and epidemiological aspects of leptospirosis in animal shelters, as well as improve prophylactic measures targeted at this zoonosis