Maze, M. J. et al. (2023) Prevalence and risk factors for human leptospirosis at a hospital serving a pastoralist community, Endulen, Tanzania. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 17(12), e0011855. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011855) (PMID:38117858) (PMCID:PMC10766184)
![[img]](https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
315736.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication. 1MB |
Abstract
Background: Leptospirosis is suspected to be a major cause of illness in rural Tanzania associated with close contact with livestock. We sought to determine leptospirosis prevalence, identify infecting Leptospira serogroups, and investigate risk factors for leptospirosis in a rural area of Tanzania where pastoralist animal husbandry practices and sustained livestock contact are common. Methods: We enrolled participants at Endulen Hospital, Tanzania. Patients with a history of fever within 72 hours, or a tympanic temperature of ≥38.0°C were eligible. Serum samples were collected at presentation and 4–6 weeks later. Sera were tested using microscopic agglutination testing with 20 Leptospira serovars from 17 serogroups. Acute leptospirosis cases were defined by a ≥four-fold rise in antibody titre between acute and convalescent serum samples or a reciprocal titre ≥400 in either sample. Leptospira seropositivity was defined by a single reciprocal antibody titre ≥100 in either sample. We defined the predominant reactive serogroup as that with the highest titre. We explored risk factors for acute leptospirosis and Leptospira seropositivity using logistic regression modelling. Results: Of 229 participants, 99 (43.2%) were male and the median (range) age was 27 (0, 78) years. Participation in at least one animal husbandry practice was reported by 160 (69.9%). We identified 18 (7.9%) cases of acute leptospirosis, with Djasiman 8 (44.4%) and Australis 7 (38.9%) the most common predominant reactive serogroups. Overall, 69 (30.1%) participants were Leptospira seropositive and the most common predominant reactive serogroups were Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 20, 29.0%), Djasiman (n = 19, 27.5%), and Australis (n = 17, 24.6%). Milking cattle (OR 6.27, 95% CI 2.24–7.52) was a risk factor for acute leptospirosis, and milking goats (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.07–5.16) was a risk factor for Leptospira seropositivity. Conclusions: We identified leptospirosis in approximately one in twelve patients attending hospital with fever from this rural community. Interventions that reduce risks associated with milking livestock may reduce human infections.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | This study was supported by the Research Councils UK, UK Department for International Development (DFID), and UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (grant number BB/L018845 to J. E.B.H; http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/). Additional support was provided by a Leverhulme - Royal Society Africa Award (grant number AA130131; https:// www.leverhulme.ac.uk, https://royalsociety.org). M.J.M received support from the Francis C. Cotter Scholarship, University of Otago. R.F.B. received funding from BBSRC, DFID, the Economic & Social Research Council, the Medical Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, under the Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems (ZELS) programme (grant number BB/N503563/1). A.H.S.L. was supported by the DELTAS Africa Initiative (Afrique One-ASPIRE/DEL-15-008). K.M. T. received additional support from BBSRC grant BB/L017679. M.P.R. received additional support from US NIH K23AI116869. S.C-G was supported by a US NIH Research Training Grant funded by the Fogarty International Center and the National Institute of Mental Health (R25 TW009337). J.A.C. received additional support from US NIH R01AI121378, and BBSRC grants BB/L018926 and BB/L017679. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Allan, Dr Kathryn and Halliday, Dr Jo and Lukambagire, Mr Abdul Hamid and Haydon, Professor Daniel and MMBAGA, Professor Blandina Theoph |
| Creator Roles: | Lukambagire, A.-H. S.Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Writing – review and editing Allan, K. J.Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review and editing Mmbaga, B. T.Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Writing – review and editing Haydon, D. T.Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – review and editing Halliday, J. E.B.Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing |
| Authors: | Maze, M. J., Shirima, G. M., Lukambagire, A.-H. S., Bodenham, R. F., Rubach, M. P., Cash-Goldwasser, S., Carugati, M., Thomas, K. M., Sakasaka, P., Mkenda, N., Allan, K. J., Kazwala, R. R., Mmbaga, B. T., Buza, J. J., Maro, V. P., Galloway, R. L., Haydon, D. T., Crump, J. A., and Halliday, J. E.B. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine |
| Journal Name: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Publisher: | Public Library of Science |
| ISSN: | 1935-2727 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1935-2735 |
| Published Online: | 20 December 2023 |
| Copyright Holders: | This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. |
| First Published: | First published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 17(12): e0011855 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
| Data DOI: | 10.5525/gla.researchdata.1395 |
University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record
Funder and Project Information
Funder and Project Information