Detection and determinants of Leptospira infection in rodents, cattle
and humans in Muheza District, Tanzania: A One Health Appeal
Abstract
Interaction between humans, livestock, and wildlife plays an important
role in zoonotic disease transmission. The emergence of Leptospira in
humans, rodents, and cattle remains relatively understudied. A
cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2023 in
Muheza to determine evidence of Leptospira infection and associated risk
factors in rodents, cattle, and humans. A total of 479 serum samples
from rodents (n=201), humans (n=198), and cattle (n=80) were examined by
using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) to detect antibodies
against six live Leptospira stock culture serovars, including Pomona,
Hebdomadis, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Sokoine, and Lora. Additionally, a
questionnaire survey was conducted on 140 respondents to establish
potential risk factors for transmission of Leptospira. The overall
Leptospira seroprevalence in rodents, cattle and humans was 6.0%
(12/201; 95% CI: 3.12%-10.20 %), 12.5% (10/80; 95% CI:
6.16%-21.79%) and 13.13% (26/198; 95% CI: 8.76%-18.65%),
respectively and the most predominant serovars were Grippotyphosa,
Sokoine, and Hebdomadis. A significant difference in the seroprevalence
was observed in the occupation category, with farmers likelier to be
infected with leptospirosis than those in other categories (χ
2= 9.19, df = 3, p = 0.027). This study showed
co-agglutination between rodents, cattle, and humans with serovars
Hebdomadis, Sokoine, and Grippotyphosa. People aged 36-59 had the
highest seropositivity, suggesting they are the most at-risk group. Our
study shed light on pathogenic serovars circulating among humans,
rodents, and cattle and their associated risk factors. It also
highlights the importance of employing a One Heath approach in
controlling zoonotic disease.