Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
Volume 89, Issue 6, Pages 1095-1102Publisher
AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0415
Keywords
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Funding
- Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom [081828/B/06/Z, 096400/Z/11/Z]
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, United Kingdom [BB/J010367/1]
- Medical Research Council, United Kingdom [G0902417 94378]
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [BB/J010367/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- Medical Research Council [G0902417] Funding Source: researchfish
- BBSRC [BB/J010367/1] Funding Source: UKRI
- MRC [G0902417] Funding Source: UKRI
- Wellcome Trust [096400/Z/11/Z] Funding Source: Wellcome Trust
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Leptospirosis is a widespread but under-reported cause of morbidity and mortality. Global re-emergence of leptospirosis has been associated with the growth of informal urban settlements in which rodents are thought to be important reservoir hosts. Understanding the multi-host epidemiology of leptospirosis is essential to control and prevent disease. A cross-sectional survey of rodents in the Kibera settlement in Nairobi, Kenya was conducted in September-October 2008 to demonstrate the presence of pathogenic leptospires. A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that 41 (18.3%) of 224 rodents carried pathogenic leptospires in their kidneys, and sequence data identified Leptospira interrogans and L. kirschneri in this population. Rodents of the genus Mus (37 of 185) were significantly more likely to be positive than those of the genus Rattus (4 of 39; odds ratio = 15.03). Questionnaire data showed frequent contact between humans and rodents in Kibera. This study emphasizes the need to quantify the public health impacts of this neglected disease at this and other urban sites in Africa.
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