Infecção por leptospira spp. em capivaras (Hydrochoerus Hydrochaeris Linnaeus, 1766) de vida livre em Pernambuco

Abstract

Capybaras are herbivorous rodents of semiaquial habit, distributed throughout Brazilian territory, preferably inhabiting areas that have bodies of water surrounded by shrub or aquatic vegetation for food and shelter. Capybaras are hosts of a wide variety of pathogens of public health importance, including bacteria of the genus Leptospira. However, in the northeast region there is no research on the pathogens of these animals. The objective of this study was to determine the serological variants of Leptospira spp. circulating in three free - living capybara populations in the municipalities of Recife, São Lourenço da Mata and Chã Grande. For this purpose, the Microscopic Soroagglutination (SAM) technique was used, using 22 pathogenic serovars and two saprophytes. The cut-off point used was 1: 100. Of the 21 capybara studied, antiLeptospira antibodies were detected in 13 (61.9%). The prevalence of antibodies antiLeptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae and anti-L borgpetersenii serovar Tarassovi was 57.1% (12/21) and 4.8% (1/21), respectively. This study was pioneer in the detection of anti-Leptospira antibodies in capybaras in the northeastern region of Brazil. The information obtained will contribute to the understanding of the role of this species in the epidemiology of animal and human leptospirosis in the state of Pernambuco.