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Seroprevalence and risk factors for leptospirosis in cattle, sheep, and goats at consorted rearing from the State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil

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Abstract

Leptospirosis is an endemic disease in Latin America, caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. It is considered one of the main causes responsible for the negative economic impact on global livestock by causing reproductive problems. The research aimed to determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in cattle, sheep, and goats at consorted rearing in the micro-region of Teresina, Piauí state, northeastern Brazil, as well as to identify prevalent serovars and risk factors associated with seroprevalence. Serum samples were analyzed in 336 sheep, 292 goats, and 253 cattle using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Overall, 378 samples were positive to MAT, with seroprevalence of 42.9%. The prevalences in cattle, sheep, and goats were 50.5, 40.5, and 34.6%, respectively. All herds presented at least one seropositive animal; the Hardjo/Wolffi serovar association was the most common in cattle and Icterohaemorrhagiae in goats and sheep. Beef production (OR = 4.9), cattle herd over 35 animals (OR = 4.0), feeding on pasture (OR = 6.4), weir and/or stream as water source (OR = 2.1), and no veterinary services (OR = 2.9) were risk factors for cattle infection. For sheep, intensive management system (OR = 5.3), suspended slatted facilities (OR = 2.2), more than 20 sheep in reproductive age (OR = 1.9), and absence of deworming (OR = 3.5) were the risk factors, while for goats, the identified risk factors were sheep herd over 52 animals (OR = 1.9) and no veterinary services (OR = 1.8). We conclude that the infection was spreading in consorted herds in this region. Thus, it would be interesting and important to conduct educative activities to farmers on the economic impacts of this disease and the need of preventive and control strategies mainly focused on sanitary measures and animal handling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Piauí, Campus of Socopo, 64049-550, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

    Ângela Piauilino Campos, Dayane Francisca Higino Miranda, Huanna Waleska Soares Rodrigues, Micherlene da Silva Carneiro Lustosa, Gustavo Henrique Chaves Martins, Ana Lys Bezerra Barradas Mineiro & Silvana Maria Medeiros de Sousa Silva

  2. Biological Institute, Av. Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves, 1.252, Vila Mariana, 04014-002, São Paulo, Brazil

    Vanessa Castro

  3. Veterinary Medicine Academic Unit, Federal University of Campina Grande, Av. Universitária, Santa Cecília, 58700-970, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil

    Sérgio Santos Azevedo

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  1. Ângela Piauilino Campos
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Correspondence to Silvana Maria Medeiros de Sousa Silva.

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The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Piauí, Brazil (protocol number 052/14).

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Campos, Â.P., Miranda, D.F.H., Rodrigues, H.W.S. et al. Seroprevalence and risk factors for leptospirosis in cattle, sheep, and goats at consorted rearing from the State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 49, 899–907 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1255-2

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