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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Simple Summary

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of bacterial origin caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is distributed worldwide and has a great impact on public health and the agricultural economy. In Latin America, leptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease, despite being infectious, zoonotic, with an acute course, and eventually lethal. In the Brazilian state of Goiás, which is located in the tropical savanna (Cerrado), data on the seroprevalence of equine leptospirosis are scarce and restricted to a few municipalities. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in 294 equine herds in the state of Goiás, Brazil. The results shed light on the significant and widespread prevalence of Leptospira in both farms (72.9%) and horses (61.6%) in Goiás State. These results were indicative of a complex epidemiological landscape characterized by the predominance of serogroups such as Djasiman, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Australis. Therefore, our findings underscore the critical significance of implementing sanitation measures within the environment and conducting health education initiatives to effectively prevent and control equine leptospirosis within the state, with particular emphasis on the necessity of vaccination.

Abstract

Leptospirosis, caused by Leptospira, is a zoonotic disease that, in horses, is linked to abortions, uveitis, and sporadic occurrences of liver and kidney disease, often resulting in significant economic losses for farmers. Research on the prevalence of leptospirosis in horses in the central-west region of Brazil has been relatively scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in equine herds in the state of Goiás (Central Brazil). Blood samples were collected from 894 equids at 294 randomly selected farms divided into three different strata according to their herd characteristics. The microscopic agglutination test for the detection of anti-Leptospira agglutinins was carried out and the results showed that among the 294 sampled farms, 213 (72.9%; CI 95% 71.7–78.9) had one or more animals positive for leptospirosis, and of the 894 horses sampled, 513 (61.6%; CI 95% 54.3–69.0) were seropositive for leptospirosis. Djasiman, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Australis were the most prevalent serogroups. The results showed a high prevalence of seropositive animals and a widespread distribution of positive farms in the state of Goiás. Thus, environmental sanitation measures and health education to prevent and control equine leptospirosis in the state are required.

Details

Title
Seroprevalence of Equine Leptospirosis in the State of Goiás, Brazil
Author
Tatiana Nunes de Azevedo Romanowski 1 ; Dias, Ricardo Augusto 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Heinemann, Marcos Bryan 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Stephani Félix Carvalho 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Silva, Tamires Ataides 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Andressa da Silva Martins 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Geovanna Domingues da Cunha Caetano 1 ; Álvaro Ferreira Júnior 1 ; Jandra Pacheco dos Santos 3 ; Borsanelli, Ana Carolina 1 

 School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, GO, Brazil; [email protected] (T.N.d.A.R.); [email protected] (S.F.C.); [email protected] (T.A.S.); [email protected] (A.d.S.M.); [email protected] (G.D.d.C.C.); [email protected] (Á.F.J.) 
 School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil; [email protected] (R.A.D.); [email protected] (M.B.H.) 
 Unigoiás, University Center of Goiás, Goiânia 74423-115, GO, Brazil; [email protected] 
First page
590
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
23067381
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2882849412
Copyright
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.