Seroprevalence of leptospira infection from agro pastoralist communities in Katavi ecosystem, Tanzania
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Date
2014-04-14
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Abstract
Background: Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease of
worldwide public health importance which affects both humans,
domestic and wildlife. Our previous study in Katavi ecosystem
showed that prevalence of leptospirosis in livestock was 28%. This
predisposes the agro-pastoralist communities at high risk of the
diseases. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is the gold standard
technique for diagnosis of Leptospirosis. This cross sectional study
intended to provide serological data for the circulating Leptospira
species in Western part of Tanzania.
Methods & Materials:
265 blood samples from healthy partici-
pants living in Katavi ecosystem were collected in plain vacutainer
tubes, centrifuged for sera collection and stored in liquid nitro-
gen. Urine samples were also collected and cultured in Fletcher
Leptospira media for isolation of live organism. To be certain of
other causes of febrile illness in the region; Screening tests for
malaria and brucellosis (mRDT and Rose Bengal) were done respec-
tively. All samples were processed at Mpanda District Hospital and
transported to Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) for further
analysis.
(MAT) was done using six known Leptospira interrogans
serovars: Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Ballum, Tarassovi,
Grippotyphosa and Hardjo. Starting with Serovar Grippothy-
posa. Resulting agglutination titers were read using dark field
microscopy.
Results:
Confirmed leptospirosis was outlined as a
≥
4-fold
increase in microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titer. Out of 265
participants, 3.8% were exposed to Leptospira Serovar Gryppoty-
phosa, 5.6% (15) had significant positive titer for Leptospira Serovar
Gryppotyphosa. Apart from Leptospirosis; 13.8% of participants
were malaria positive and 1.4% were brucellosis positive. Among
those negative for malaria and brucellosis; 13 (5.7%) had high pos-
itive titer for Leptospirosis. 2 participants were co- infected with
malaria and Leptospirosis. This is just preliminary results, results
of other serovars will be completed in December 2013
Conclusion:
This study detected the circulating Leptospira
Serovars in agro-pastoralist communities living in Katavi ecosys-
tem. Serovar Gryppotyphosa is among the circulating Leptospira
serovars in Katavi region. This information is significant for better
understanding of epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Katavi Region.
Molecular techniques like PCR, whole order sequencing ought to
be thought of in future studies.
Description
16th ICID Abstracts / International Journal of Infectious Diseases2014, 21S: 1–460
Keywords
Leptospira infection, Agro pastoralist communities, Neglected zoonotic disease, Ecosystem