1. Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata L.): A New Potential Host for Pathogenic Leptospira Among Semi-Fossorial Mammals.
- Author
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Coppola F, Cilia G, Bertelloni F, Casini L, D'Addio E, Fratini F, Cerri D, and Felicioli A
- Subjects
- Animals, Animals, Wild, Antibodies, Bacterial blood, Disease Reservoirs microbiology, Environment, Italy epidemiology, Leptospira isolation & purification, Leptospirosis epidemiology, Leptospirosis immunology, Porcupines immunology, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Serogroup, Disease Reservoirs veterinary, Leptospira pathogenicity, Leptospirosis veterinary, Porcupines microbiology
- Abstract
Wildlife plays a pivot role in the epidemiology of leptospirosis and rodents have a reservoir function for several Leptospira serogroups. The crested porcupine is the largest rodent of the Italian fauna and shares the same environment with red foxes, badgers, coypus and wild boars that are known to be infected by Leptospira. Between 2018 and 2019 the seroprevalence of Leptospira in crested porcupine was investigated for the first time. Overall 7 out of 14 sera (50 %) were found positive to Leptospira. Icterohaemorrhagiae resulted as the most detected serogroup (57 %) followed by Pomona, Australis and Sejroe. The highest titer (1:1600) was detected for the serogroup Australis. These results indicate that porcupines could be infected by several serogroup of Leptospira and the role of reservoir or accidental host need to be addressed. Further investigations are necessary in order to clarify the leptospirosis - epidemiology - wildlife framework in light of its potential zoonotic source., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2020
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