Leptospiras in Caiman latirostris in Argentina

BAUSO J.; SIMONCINI, M.; VANASCO, N.; CHIANI, Y.; SCHMELING, F.; LARRIERA, A.; PIÑA, C.I.

Skukuza

Congreso; 24th Working meeting Crocodile Specialist Group/UICN; 2016

Internationa Union Conservation of Nature/Crocodile Specialist Group

Leptospirais a genus of spirochets to which belong a numberof pathogenic species that may produce the leptospirosis, a disease transmittedby wild and domestic animals, and important for human health. Know thevariables related to the eventual acquisition of infection in animals havegreat importance for the design of sanitary policies. Our objective was toassess the prevalence of antibodies anti-leptospiraand the presence of leptospiras spp.in Caiman latirostris in captivityand in the wild, in Santa Feprovince. We extracted blood samples of 32 individuals (7 animals in the wildand 25 incaptivity). Previous to the extraction we cleaned the neck of caimans, in orderto prevent samples contamination; then we put each sample in two vacutainers:1- with heparin and we used for agar media, 2- with serum separator and we usedto perform MAT (microscopic agglutination test) and PCR (polymerase chainreaction) tests. For MAT test, we excluded 9 of 32 samples because we detectedpresence of lipemic serum. Of the MAT analyses, 15 of 19 samples in captivityand 3 of 4 samples in the wild were positive, and they showed the presence ofantibody anti-leptospira. The 78.3%of samples (18 of 23) showed the presence of antibody anti-leptospira from the serogroup Pyrogenes. Besides, we detectedin 31.8% of samples (7 of 23) the presence of Pyrogenes andIcterohaemorrhagiae, and only 1 sample of 23 hosted three serogroups(Pyrogenes, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Grippothyphosa). Moreover one sample fromcaptivity analyzed with PCR was positive but unfortunately the culture wascontaminated. On the other hand, 40% of the blood samples cultivated in agarmedia were contaminated and we could not be studied; but another 60% (19 of 32samples), none presented growth of the bacteria. In the present work it waspossible to determinate the presence of Leptospiraspp in caiman without evidence of clinical symptoms. A high prevalence ofantibodies anti-leptospira, incaptivity and in the wild, was detected. In this way, we understand thoseanimals were in contact with the bacteria at some point in their lives. Inaddition one animal present an active infection without any symptoms. Studiesof leptospira in crocodilians areimportant in order to understand the role exerted by bacteria and if caimansare natural reservoir or accidental host.