Fine-scale prevalence and genetic diversity of urban small mammal-borne pathogenic Leptospira in Africa: A spatiotemporal survey within Cotonou, Benin.

ABSTRACT: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that is caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Around the world, one million people each year are infected, leading to 60,000 deaths. Infection occurs through contact with environmental pathogens excreted by mammals (notably rodents). Data on Leptospira and leptospirosis in Africa are rather scarce, especially in urban habitats though these appear to be favourable environments for the pathogen circulation and human contamination. Using qPCR, DNA sequencing as well as MST/VNTR approaches, we examined Leptospira occurrence and genetic diversity in 779 commensal small mammals that were sampled over 2 years in the city centre of Cotonou, Benin, from three neighbourhoods with contrasting socio-environmental conditions. Overall prevalence reach

SUBMITTER: Dossou HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9540415 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature