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

Marco Torres-Castro, Bayron Cruz-Camargo, Rodrigo Medina-Pinto, Bibiana Reyes-Hernández, Carlos Moguel-Lehmer, Rolando Medina, José Ortiz-Esquivel, William Arcila-Fuentes, Armando López-Ávila, Henry No-Pech, Alonso Panti-May, Iván Rodríguez-Vivas, Fernando I. Puerto, .

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v38i3.3938
Keywords: Leptospira spp., rodents, rodent diseases, México
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Abstract

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.

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  • Marco Torres-Castro Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Bayron Cruz-Camargo Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Rodrigo Medina-Pinto Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Bibiana Reyes-Hernández Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Carlos Moguel-Lehmer Proyecto “Savia”, Secretaría de Investigación, Innovación y Educación Superior, Mérida, México
  • Rolando Medina Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • José Ortiz-Esquivel Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • William Arcila-Fuentes Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Armando López-Ávila Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Henry No-Pech Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Alonso Panti-May Doctorado en Ciencias Agropecuarias, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Iván Rodríguez-Vivas Departamento de Salud Animal y Medicina Preventiva, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México
  • Fernando I. Puerto Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, México

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How to Cite
1.
Torres-Castro M, Cruz-Camargo B, Medina-Pinto R, Reyes-Hernández B, Moguel-Lehmer C, Medina R, et al. Molecular detection of pathogenic Leptospira in synanthropic and wild rodents captured in Yucatán, México. Biomed. [Internet]. 2018 Aug. 1 [cited 2025 Apr. 9];38(Sup. 2):51-8. Available from: https://revistabiomedicaorg.biteca.online/index.php/biomedica/article/view/3938

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Published
2018-08-01
Issue
Vol. 38 No. Sup. 2 (2018): Suplemento 2, Medicina tropical
Section
Original articles

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