Leptospirosis in sugarcane plantation and fishing communities in Kagera northwestern Tanzania
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Date
2019-05-31
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PLOS/ Neglected Tropical Diseases
Abstract
Background
Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease of worldwide importance, though relatively
neglected in many African countries including sub Saharan Africa that is among areas with
high burden of this disease. The disease is often mistaken for other febrile illnesses such as
dengue, malaria, rickettsioses and enteric fever. Leptospirosis is an occupational disease
likely to affect people working in environments prone to infestation with rodents which are
the primary reservoir hosts of this disease. Some of the populations at risk include: sugar-
cane plantation workers, wetland farmers, fishermen and abattoir workers. In this study we
investigated the prevalence of antibodies against Leptospira among sugarcane plantation
and factory workers, fishing communities as well as among rodents and shrews in domestic
and peridomestic environments within the study areas.
Methods
The study was conducted in Kagera region, northwestern Tanzania and it involved sugar-
cane plantation workers (cutters and weeders), sugar factory workers and the fishing com-
munity at Kagera Sugar Company in Missenyi district and Musira island in Lake Victoria,
Kagera, respectively. Blood was collected from consenting human adults, and from rodents
and shrews (insectivores) captured live using Sherman traps. Serological detection of lepto-
spiral antibodies in blood serum was carried out by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT).
Results
A total of 455 participants were recruited from the sugarcane plantation (n = 401) and fishing
community (n = 54) while 31 rodents and shrews were captured. The overall prevalence of
antibodies against Leptospira in human was 15.8%. Sugarcane cutters had higher seroprev-
alence than other sugar factory workers. Prevalent antibodies against Leptospira serovars
in humans were against serovars Lora (6.8%), Sokoine (5.3%), Pomona (2.4%), Hebdoma-
dis (1.1%) and Kenya (0.2%). Detected leptospiral serovars in reservoir hosts were Sokoine (12.5%) and Grippotyphosa (4.2%). Serovar Sokoine was detected both in humans and
small mammals.
Conclusion
Leptospirosis is a public health threat affecting populations at risk, such as sugarcane plan-
tation workers and fishing communities. Public awareness targeting risk occupational
groups is much needed for mitigation of leptospirosis in the study areas and other vulnerable
populations in Tanzania and elsewhere.
Description
Research Article 2019