Isolation and characterization of a virulent Leptospira interrogans from a dog without clinical signs in Buenos Aires, Argentina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30972/vet.3719486Keywords:
Leptospirosis, canine carrier, urinary shedding, zoonosisAbstract
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance where dogs may contribute to environmental contamination with pathogenic Leptospira. This study aimed to isolate and characterize a virulent Leptospira interrogans strain obtained from the urine of an asymptomatic dog in Argentina. Blood and urine samples were collected for hematological, biochemical, serological, and bacteriological analyses. Serology was performed using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), and urine samples were cultured for bacterial isolation. The isolate was characterized by PCR amplification and sequencing of the rrs gene, followed by phylogenetic and serological analysis. Virulence was assessed using a susceptible hamster infection model. MAT revealed a low antibody titer (1:100) against L. interrogans serovar Canicola. Leptospira was successfully isolated from urine. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the isolate belonged to the pathogenic clade (P1) of L. interrogans, and serological characterization identified it as serogroup Canicola. Experimental infection in Syrian hamsters confirmed the virulence of the isolate, despite the absence of clinical signs in the dog. These findings highlight the epidemiological role of dogs as asymptomatic carriers and the importance of surveillance strategies within a One Health framework.
Downloads
References
1. Carmona Gasca CA, Martínez González S, Castillo Sánchez LO, Rodríguez Reyes EA, Cárdenas Marrufo MF, Vado Solís I, Castañeda Miranda G, López Huitrado LP, de la Peña-Moctezuma A. The presence of a virulent clone of Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola in confirmed cases of asymptomatic dog carriers in Mexico. Microorganisms. 2024; 12(4):674. http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/4/674
2. Chiani Y, Jacob P, Varni V, Landolt N, Schmeling MF, Pujato N, Caimi K, Vanasco B. Isolation and clinical sample typing of human leptospirosis cases in Argentina. Infect Genet Evol. 2016; 37: 245-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2015.11.033
3. Cilia G, Bertelloni F, Cerri D, Fratini F. Leptospira fainei detected in testicles and epididymis of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa). Biology (Basel). 2021; 10(3): 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10030193
4. Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences; International Council for Laboratory Animal Science. International guiding principles for biomedical research involving animals. Geneva: CIOMS; 2012. Disponible en: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/guiding_principles_2012.pdf
5. Grune Loffler S, Passaro D, Samartino L, Soncini A, Romero G, Brihuega B. Genotypes of Leptospira spp. strains isolated from dogs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rev Argent Microbiol. 2014; 46(3): 201-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0325-7541(14)70073-2
6. Harran E, Kuntz G, Decors A, Bourhy P, Auffret A, Bigeard C, Cherel D, Kodjo A, Le Dréan E, Lejas C, Lequeux G, Pilard MA, Pivette M, Guillois Y, Ayral F. Tracking potential Leptospira sources following human cases of leptospirosis: A One Health approach applied to an ecosystem in Brittany, France. One Health. 2024; 18:100726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100726
7. Larkin MA, Blackshields G, Brown NP, Chenna R, McGettigan PA, McWilliam H, Valentin F, Wallace IM, Wilm A, Lopez R, Thompson JD, Gibson TJ, Higgins DG. Clustal W and Clustal X version 2.0. Bioinformatics. 2007; 23(21): 2947-8. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btm404
8. Martin PL, Molina MC, Stanchi NO, Corrada Y, Cuelli A, Cobos M, Ozaeta MB, De Palma V, Arauz MS. Prevalencia de leptospirosis en caninos de La Plata, Argentina. XX Reunión Científico-Técnica de la Asociación Argentina de Veterinarios de Laboratorios de Diagnóstico, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2014.p. 42. Disponible en: http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/193581
9. Martin PL, Mazzoni S, Stanchi NO, Pintos ME, Perotti C, Arauz MS. Estudio retrospectivo de leptospirosis canina. XXIII Reunión Científico-Técnica de la Asociación Argentina de Veterinarios de Laboratorios de Diagnóstico, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2021. p. 53. Disponible en: http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/193584
10. Martin PL, Stanchi NO, Brihuega BF, Bonzo E, Galli L, Arauz MS. Diagnosis of canine leptospirosis: evaluation of two PCR assays in comparison with the microagglutination test. Pesqui Vet Bras. 2019; 39: 255-262. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-5150-PVB-5868
11. Merien F, Portnoi D, Bourhy P, Charavay F, Berlioz-Arthaud A, Baranton G. A rapid and quantitative method for the detection of Leptospira species in human leptospirosis. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2005; 249(1): 139-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.femsle.2005.06.011
12. Piredda I, Sechi S, Cocco R, Bertoldi L, Palmas B, Chisu V. Isolation of Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola in a vaccinated dog without clinical symptoms. Pathogens. 2022; 11(4): 406. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11040406
13. Rossetti CA, Liem M, Samartino LE, Hartskeerl RA. Buenos Aires, a new Leptospira serovar of serogroup Djasiman, isolated from an aborted dog fetus in Argentina. Vet Microbiol. 2005; 107: 241-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2005.01.015
14. Shaban ZA, Carr A, Jenkins E. Dioctophyme renale (giant kidney worm) in a dog: a review of a parasitic disease requiring surgical treatment. Vet Rec Case Rep. 2025; 13: e1101. https://doi.org/10.1002/vrc2.1101
15. Stoddard RA, Gee JE, Wilkins PP, McCaustland K, Hoffmaster AR. Detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. through TaqMan polymerase chain reaction targeting the LipL32 gene. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2009; 64: 247-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2009.03.014
16. Sykes JE, Francey T, Schuller S, Stoddard RA, Cowgill LD, Moore GE. Updated ACVIM consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2023; 37: 1966-1982. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16903
17. Tamura K, Stecher G, Kumar S. MEGA11: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis Version 11. Mol Biol Evol. 2021; 38(7): 3022-3027. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab120
18. Vincent AT, Schiettekatte O, Goarant C, Neela VK, Bernet E, Thibeaux R, Ismail N, Khalid MM, Amran F, Masuzawa T, Nakao R, Korba AA, Bourhy P, Veyrier FJ, Picardeau M. Revisiting the taxonomy and evolution of pathogenicity of the genus Leptospira through the prism of genomics. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13: e0007270. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007270
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 P.L. Martin, A. Koval, M.J. Butti, G. Warley, M.N. Sánchez, J.V Petrakovsky, M.I. Gamboa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Revista Veterinaria (Rev. Vet.) maintains a commitment to the policies of Open Access to scientific information, as it considers that both scientific publications as well as research investigations funded by public resources should circulate freely without restrictions. Revista Veterinaria (Rev. Vet.) ratifies the Open Access model in which scientific publications are made freely available at no cost online.
.jpg){kind=logo}
.jpg){kind=logo}
