Sains Malaysiana 49(5)(2020): 1121-1128

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4905-17

Serological Detection of Anti-Leptospira Antibodies among Animal Caretakers, Dogs and Cats Housed in Animal Shelters in Peninsular Malaysia

(Pengesanan Serologi Antibodi Anti-Leptospira dalam Kalangan Penjaga Haiwan, Anjing dan Kucing yang Tinggal di Pusat Perlindungan Haiwan di Semenanjung Malaysia)

ABDUL RAHMAN ALASHRAF¹, SITI KHAIRANI-BEJO², KUAN HUA KHOR¹, ROZANALIZA RADZI¹, PUTERI AZAZIAH MEGAT ABDUL RANI³, SOON HENG GOH¹, MUHAMMAD SABRI ABDUL RAHMAN², MUHAMMAD AZRI ROSLAN², ROSNAH ISMAIL⁴ & SENG FONG LAU¹*

¹Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

³Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁴Occupational Health Unit, Community Health Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

Received: 6 March 2019/Accepted: 22 January 2020

ABSTRACT

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira spp. and it has emerged as one of the major public health issues worldwide. Despite extensive studies, information regarding leptospirosis in animal shelters in Malaysia is still scarce. The aim of this study was to determine anti-Leptospira antibodies and the most common circulating serogroups among humans and animals in animal shelters in west and south parts of Peninsular Malaysia. Blood samples were obtained from 58 humans, 127 dogs, and 47 cats, that were recruited from two shelters. All humans and dogs appeared healthy, except few cats showed clinical signs of mild feline upper respiratory disease. Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) was used to detect anti-Leptospira antibodies against 20 pathogenic serovars. Based on the cut-off antibody titre ≥ 1:100, the sero-detection of Leptospira spp. in human, dogs, and cats were as 8.62%, 20.47%, and 14.89%, respectively. Serogroup Bataviae was found in human, dogs and cats, whereas Bataviae, Javanica, and Ballum were the common serogroups among dogs and cats. Anti-Leptospira antibodies titres were in the range from 1:100 to 1:200 in human and 1:100 to 1:400 in sheltered animals. Sero-detection studies of anti-Leptospira antibodies in shelters environment worldwide and regionally is necessary to increase the public health awareness and to understand the risk of this zoonotic disease. Furthermore, data regarding the predominant serogroups is needed in a local setting for further vaccination development studies. More studies are warranted to investigate the role of sheltered animals in leptospiral transmission in its environment.

Keywords: Bataviae; human; leptospirosis; MAT; shelter animals

ABSTRAK

Leptospirosis adalah penyakit zoonosis di seluruh dunia yang disebabkan oleh Leptospira spp. dan penyakit ini telah muncul sebagai salah satu isu utama kesihatan awam di seluruh dunia. Walaupun terdapat kajian yang luas mengenai leptospirosis, maklumat tentang leptospirosis di tempat perlindungan haiwan di Malaysia masih lagi terhad. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan antibodi anti-Leptospira dan juga mengenal pasti serokumpulan yang paling lazim ditemui dalam kalangan manusia dan haiwan di pusat perlindungan haiwan di bahagian barat dan selatan Semenanjung Malaysia. Sampel darah yang diambil daripada 58 orang manusia, 127 ekor anjing dan 47 ekor kucing telah direkrut dari dua pusat perlindungan haiwan. Kesemua manusia dan anjing yang direkrut kelihatan sihat, kecuali beberapa ekor kucing yang menunjukkan tanda-tanda klinikal ringan penyakit pernafasan atas felin. Ujian Aglutinasi Mikroskopik (MAT) digunakan untuk mengesan antibodi anti-Leptospira terhadap 20 serovar patogenik. Berdasarkan tahap titer antibodi ≥ 1: 100, sero-pengesanan untuk Leptospira spp. pada manusia, anjing dan kucing masing-masing adalah sebanyak 8.62%, 20.47% dan 14.89%. Serokumpulan Bataviae ditemui pada manusia, anjing dan kucing, manakala Bataviae, Javanica dan Ballum adalah serokumpulan yang lazim dalam kalangan anjing dan kucing. Titer antibodi anti-Leptospira yang direkodkan berada dalam lingkungan 1:100 hingga 1:200 untuk manusia dan 1:100 hingga 1:400 untuk haiwan yang terlindung. Kajian sero-pengesanan antibodi anti-Leptospira perlu dijalankan di persekitaran tempat perlindungan seluruh dunia dan serantau bagi meningkatkan kesedaran kesihatan orang awam dan juga memahami risiko penyakit zoonotik ini. Tambahan pula, data tentang serokumpulan yang dominan diperlukan dalam suasana setempat untuk kajian yang lebih lanjut seperti pembangunan vaksin. Lebih banyak kajian wajar dijalankan untuk mengkaji peranan haiwan terlindung dalam penyebaran leptospiral dan juga persekitarannya.

Kata kunci: Bataviae; leptospirosis; haiwan yang terlindung; manusia; MAT

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*Corresponding author; email: lausengfong@hotmail.com