Leptospirosis as a neglected burden at human-cattle interface in Mid-Delta of Egypt.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION\nLeptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis in developing countries including Egypt where its burden is underestimated.\n\n\nMETHODOLOGY\nA cross sectional study was carried out to estimate the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Leptospira interrogans serovar Hardjo infection among cows and leptospirosis among human patients in Mid-Delta of Egypt.\n\n\nRESULTS\nOut of 112 examined cows using ELISA, 3.6% were seropositive to L. interrogans serovar Hardjo infection. Seroconversion occurred in 5 animals (1 herd) of all examined animals in convalescent phase testing (5/112, 4.5%). Affected herd suffered acute outbreak with 43.3% within herd prevalence; signs of infection included abortions, bloody urine and sudden death of 2 cows. Highest risk for L. interrogans serovar Hardjo infection in cows was in animals drank from untreated surface water (6.7 times, p = 0.06). The seroprevalence of leptospirosis was 6.2% in all tested humans, 28.6% in nonspecific fever cases and 22.2% in non-viral hepatitis cases. The risk of leptospirosis among patients with nonspecific fever or non-viral hepatitis cases was 4 times higher than those with viral hepatitis (p = 0.01). Additionally, there was a significant association between leptospirosis and patients with livestock contact (Odds 8, p = 0.01).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nThis is the first report of L. interrogans serovar Hardjo outbreak in cows in Egypt. The study also highlighted the role of leptospirosis as neglected cause of nonspecific fever/non-viral hepatitis in humans in study region.