Effect of Sewerage on the Contamination of Soil with Pathogenic Leptospira in Urban Slums.

ABSTRACT: Leptospirosis is an environmentally transmitted zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. that affects poor communities worldwide. In urban slums, leptospirosis is associated with deficient sanitary infrastructure. Yet, the role of sewerage in the reduction of the environmental contamination with pathogenic Leptospira has not been explored. Here, we conducted a survey of the pathogen in soils surrounding open and closed sewer sections in six urban slums in Brazil. We found that soils surrounding conventionally closed sewers (governmental interventions) were 3 times less likely to contain pathogenic Leptospira (inverse OR 3.44, 95% CI = 1.66-8.33; p < 0.001) and contained a 6 times lower load of the pathogen (0.82 log₁₀ units difference,

SUBMITTER: Casanovas-Massana A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9302045 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature