Prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and pathogenic Leptospira spp. in rodents from outdoor farms in western Spain

Authors

ALFREDO GARCIA
REMIGIO MARTINEZ
LOURDES GARCIA
JOSE MANUEL BENITEZ-MEDINA
DAVID RISCO
WALDO LUIS GARCIA
JOAQUIN REY
JUAN MANUEL ALONSO
ANGELI KODJO

DOI

10.3906/vet-1301-6

Abstract

Sixty-five rats (Rattus norvegicus) and 5 mice (Mus musculus) were trapped from 8 outdoor farms and the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli was not detected in any individual. Nevertheless, using the microscopic agglutination test, it was found that 20% (13/65) of rat serum samples were positive for anti-Leptospira antibodies, and DNA of pathogenic leptospires was detected in 3.07% (2/65) of the rat kidneys by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The most common infecting serovar was Castellonis (7.69%), followed by Canicola (6.15%) and Mangus (6.15%). According to these results, rats from outdoor farms may be considered a reservoir host for Leptospira in the study area.

Keywords

Rodents, Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli, Leptospira spp., outdoor farms

First Page

750

Last Page

753

Recommended Citation

GARCIA, ALFREDO; MARTINEZ, REMIGIO; GARCIA, LOURDES; BENITEZ-MEDINA, JOSE MANUEL; RISCO, DAVID; GARCIA, WALDO LUIS; REY, JOAQUIN; ALONSO, JUAN MANUEL; and KODJO, ANGELI (2013) "Prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and pathogenic Leptospira spp. in rodents from outdoor farms in western Spain," Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences: Vol. 37: No. 6, Article 23. https://doi.org/10.3906/vet-1301-6
Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/veterinary/vol37/iss6/23