The veterinary practice with small animals as a risk factor to the exposure of leptospira sp.

Abstract

Leptospirosis is considered as an occupational disease, and in the field of veterinary medicine, people in risk are usually in contact with infected animals which act as reservoirs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the seropositive rate of Leptospira sp. and quantify the risk of infection between workers that have direct contact with small animals and those who have no direct contact with these kinds of animals within their activities in veterinary centers or hospitals. So, 287 (143 exposed and 142 not exposed) serum samples were gathered from people that work in veterinary centers and hospitals with and without direct exposure to animals. Microagglutination test was used. The 9.1% (13/143) of exposed people and the 0.7% (1/144) of nonexposed professionals were seropositive. The serovars found in the exposed group were L. varillal, L. panama and L. ballum; and in the non-exposed group was only found a multiple seropositive to L. australis, L. copenhageni and L. wolfii serovars. The analysis by logistic regression showed that the exposure to Leptospira sp. by veterinary practice has an odds ratio of 13.31 (CI 95%: 1.43-124.08); also, the presence of rodents in home obtained an odds ratio of 8.70 (CI 95%: 1.83-41.26) so, statistically differences were found for both risk factors.