Shedding cats as a potential risk of zoonotic transmission of Leptospirosis in Chile

Written By My Vet Candy

Leptospirosis is considered a worldwide zoonosis disease that affects many species. The shedding of DNA of Leptospira spp. was reported to infect cats in several countries, but the shedding of Leptospira spp in urine has been recently confirmed.

A study was conducted in Southern Chile to investigate the shedding of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in outdoor cats and to perform molecular characterization of isolates, and to assess potential risk factors. Two hundred thirty-one urine samples of outdoor cats from rural and urban areas were collected via cystocentesis and were examined using four immunological techniques. The techniques used were  lipL32 quantitative qPCR, immunomagnetic-separation (IMS)-coupled with lipL32 qPCR (IMS-qPCR), culture for Leptospira spp., and IMS-coupled with culture. The results confirmed 36 positive samples with a 95% confidence identified using the four techniques. It confirmed that cats could shed viable pathogenic Leptospira spp. and act as transmitters to humans and livestock.

This was the first study that reported growth of Leptospira spp. in urine culture of infected cats in South-America.

To read more click on the link below:

Cats shedding pathogenic Leptospira spp.—An underestimated zoonotic risk?



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