Absence of molecular evidence of Leptospira spp. in urine samples collected from rodents captured in Yucatán, México

Leptospira spp. is a spirochete bacteria, causal agent of leptospirosis, zoonotic disease endemic in México that represents a serious public health and veterinary problem. Rodents are recognised as the most important reservoirs of this bacteria, which is transmitted mainly through direct or indirect contact with the Leptospira spp. excreted in the urine of infected individuals. Theaim of this study was to evaluate the circulation of Leptospira spp. in urine samples of wild and synanthropic rodents from Yucatán, México. Eighty-four rodents were captured in the community of Cenotillo, Yucatán. Twenty-six urine samples were collected from the bladder and were used in the total DNA extraction. The identification of Leptospira spp. was intended through the polymerase chain reaction test in its endpoint variant. No evidence of Leptospira spp. was found in the urine samples. It is necessary to use other tissues for the identification of Leptospira spp., before concluding that the rodents used in the present study are not reservoirs of this bacteri

Molecular detection of pathogenic Leptospira in synanthropic and wild rodents captured in Yucatán, México

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira, which is endemic in México and considered a public and veterinary health problem. Rodents are the most relevant reservoirs of Leptospira spp. because the bacteria establish and reproduce in its renal tissue and are excreted through the urine. Objective: To identify the presence of Leptospira spp. in renal tissue from rodents captured in Yucatán, México. Materials and methods: Synanthropic and wild rodents were captured in the rural municipality of Cenotillo, Yucatán, México. We collected one kidney from each rodent and extracted the total DNA. The identification of Leptospira spp. was done by detecting two fragments of the 16S rRNA gene using end-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We sequenced and analyzed positive products using alignment tools. Results: A total of 92 rodents belonging to seven different species were captured. The PCR yielded a global positivity of 5.4% (5/92). The alignment analysis of the sequenced products demonstrated a 100% of coverage and identity with Leptospira interrogans. This is the first molecular evidence of Leptospira spp. circulation in Heteromys gaumeri captured in Yucatán, México. Conclusion: Our results evidenced that rodents of Yucatán are reservoirs of Leptospira spp. and participate in the infection cycle of leptospirosis in the region

Detección molecular de Flavivirus en sueros sanguíneos de roedores capturados en Yucatán, México

The aim of this investigation was to study the presence of flaviviruses in rodents from Yucatan, Mexico, by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in the semi-nested variant. Ninety rodents were captured (87 Rattus rattus, two Heteromys gaumeri and one Mus musculus), and blood samples were collected. The resulting serum samples were grouped into 30 triads (pools). The semi-nested PCR yielded a positivity frequency of 33.3% (10/30).El objetivo de la presente investigación fue estudiar la presencia de flavivirus en roedores de Yucatán, México, mediante una prueba de Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR), en su variante semi-anidada. Se capturaron 90 roedores (87 Rattus rattus, dos Heteromys gaumeri y un Mus musculus) y se les recolectó una muestra de sangre. Las 90 muestras de suero resultantes fueron agrupadas en 30 triadas (pooles). La PCR semianidada arrojó una frecuencia de positividad del 33.3% (10/30)