Molecular detection of Leptospira in urine samples of dogs in Kerman city

Leptospirosis is a globally prevalent zoonotic disease primarily found in tropical, subtropical, and temperateregions. The spiral, aerobic spirochetes of Leptospira are classified into saprophytic or non-pathogenic species(Leptospira biflexa) and pathogenic species (Leptospira interrogans). Factors such as climate change, heavyrainfall, flooding, poor sanitation, improper waste management, and high populations of reservoir hosts likerodents contribute to increased infection rates. In dogs, symptoms range from mild fever to severe organdamage. Direct contact between humans or animals and infected animals or soil and water contaminated withthe urine of carrier animals leads to the transmission of Leptospira. Due to the slow growth of the bacterium andthe absence of specific antibodies during the first week of the disease, culture and serological tests in detectionof disease are inefficient. Instead, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, with its high sensitivity andaccuracy, emerges as a suitable alternative. In this study, Leptospira was detected in urine samples from dogs inKerman city using the PCR method. For this purpose, fiftyy dog urine samples were collected, and DAA wasextracted using a commercial kit. Subsequently, PCR was performed to detect Leptospira DAA using specificprimers targeting the bacterial ۱۶SrRAA gene. The PCR products were electrophoresed and analyzed using a geldocumentation system. The frequency of Leptospira DAA in urine samples was found to be six out of fiftyy (۱۲%).These findings indicate the presence of Leptospira bacteria in dogs in Kerman, posing a potential risk toindividuals in contact with these animals. The World Health Organization should take appropriate measures tocontrol and prevent this issue.

کلیدواژه ها:

Leptospira ، urine ، PCR ، dog ، Kerman