Leptospirose em ruminantes e sua importância como zoonose

Abstract

The objective of this work is to carry out a review of the literature on leptospirosis in ruminants, emphasizing its epidemiological situation, its zoonotic character and its importance within the context of public health. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease, which may present an acute or chronic evolution caused by a bacterium of the genus Leptospira, having as serogroup more prevalent in Brazil the interrogans, in which it has several serovars, with capacity of infection between the animals and between the animals and humans. The main sources of infection for humans and ruminants are contact with excretions of animals that are eliminating Leptospira, be they wild, synanthropic or domestic. For human beings, the food route is worth highlighting, especially the transmission through the milk and meat of infected animals. Leptospirosis is a notifiable disease for both animals and humans and should be included within the zoonoses of sanitary and economic importance in Brazil, aiming at improving public policies aimed at improving sanitary conditions in cities and for intensifying actions in the aiming at reducing the impact on animal production and on the zoonotic nature of the disease, and it is always necessary to consider the importance of disease transmission in its urban cycle and also in its rural cycle.