Occurrence of antibodies and risk factors associated with Leptospira spp. infection in capitivity Cebus spp. from Northeast of Brazil

Ferreira D.R.A., Laroque P.O., Wagner P.G.C.W., Higino S.S.S., Azevedo S. S., Rego E. W. & Mota R. A. 2011. [Occurrence of antibodies and risk factors associated with Leptospira spp. infection in capitivity Cebus spp. from Northeast of Brazil.] Ocorrencia de anticorpos e fatores de risco associados a infeccao por Leptospira spp. em Cebus spp. mantidos em cativeiro no Nordeste do Brasil. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 31(11):1019-1023. Laboratorio de Doencas Infecciosas dos Animais Domesticos, Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manuel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmaos, Recife, PE 52171-900. E-mail: rinaldo.mota@hotmail.com This study aimed to verify the occurrence of anti-Leptospira antibodies and the risk factors associated with infection in the Cebus spp. mantained in captivity in the northeast of Brazil. One hundred and thirty nine blood samples of different species of primates of both sexes and varied ages were analyzed. For the study of antibodies the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) was used, and for the risk factor study a multivariate analysis was used. Antibodies anti-Leptospira, serovar Patoc were observed in 6.5% of primates (09/139). The risk factor identified in this study was the lack of daily hygienization of drinking fountains (Odds ratio=12.095; IC 95% = 1.73-84.52; p=0.012,). The conclusion of the study was that the Cebus population maintained in captivity in the northeast of Brazil is exposed to infection by antibodies anti-Leptospira and that corrective measures of animal handling, especially those related to daily hygienization of drinking fountains, must be implemented to reduce the risk of infection by serovars of Leptospira spp.