Domestic dogs in indigenous Amazonian communities: Key players in < i > Leptospira < /i > cycling and transmission?

Conclusions/significanceThe high prevalence of antibodies andLeptospira DNA provides strong evidence for high rates of past and current infections. Such high prevalence has not been previously reported for dogs. These dogs live in the peridomestic environment in close contact with humans, yet they are free-ranging animals that interact with wildlife. This complex web of interactions may explain the diverse types of pathogenicLeptospira observed in this study. Our results suggest that domestic dogs are likely to play an important role in the cycling and transmission ofLeptospira. Future studies in areas with complex ecoepidemiology will enable better parsing of the significance of genotypic, environmental, and host characteristics.
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research