Patterns in Leptospira Shedding in Norway Rats (Rattus norvegicus) from Brazilian Slum Communities at High Risk of Disease Transmission.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We address some critical but unknown parameters of individuals and populations of Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) that influence leptospiral infection, maintenance and spirochetal loads shed in urine, which contaminates the environment ultimately leading to human infection.

Methodology/principal findings

Our study, conducted in Salvador, Brazil, established the average load of leptospires in positive kidneys to be 5.9 x 10(6) per mL (range 3.1-8.2 x10(6)) genome equivalents (GEq), similar to the 6.1 x 10(6) per ml (range 2.2-9.4 x10(6)) average obtained from paired urines, with a significant positive correlation (R2=0.78) between the two. Based on bivariate and multivariate modeling, we found with both kidney and urine samples that leptospiral loads increased with

SUBMITTER: Costa F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4457861 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature