Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Cross-sectional study of Leptospira spp. in commercial pig farms in the state of Goiás, Brazil

  • Regular Articles
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Leptospirosis is an infectious, contagious disease highly important to the world pig industry, which causes reproductive loss in breeding herds. Endemic infections in a herd may produce little evidence of clinical disease despite resulting in economic losses. However, some epidemiological features of leptospirosis in midwestern Brazil, such as risk factors and prevalence of the disease, remain unclear. Therefore, this study focused on assessing the prevalence of the Leptospira spp. in intensive pig herds and associating its risk factors. A set of 900 blood samples, equally distributed between nursery, growing, and finishing pigs of 30 intensive farrow-to-finish farms, were analyzed using the microagglutination test (MAT), in order to detect anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies for 24 different Leptospira spp. serovars. An occurrence of 4.67% (55/342) seropositive samples were detected in fattening pigs. The variables associated with the disease occurrence were animals per square meter at fattening (OR 0.006, CI 95% 0.004–0.42, p = 0.0105) and pen division between growing and fattening pigs (OR 3.56, CI 95% 0.563–22.541, p = 0.185). Thus, the variables semi-hollow floor in the maternity (OR 16.66; CI 95%: 2.17–128.2 and p = 0.006) and animals per trough at fattening (OR: 0.08, CI 95% 0.009–0.87 and p = 0.025), observed in this study, highlight the importance of the fattening phase in the epidemiology of the disease, bringing information on risk factors involved in the occurrence and dissemination of leptospirosis in intensive pig herds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ABCS. 2016. Associação Brasileira dos Criadores de Suínos (ABCS). Mapping of Brazilian Pork Chain. 376p.Brasília-DF. Available: https://www.embrapa.br/documents/1355242/0/Mapeamento+da+Suinocultura+Brasileira.pdf. Accessed 01.09.20

  • ABPA. 2019. Associação Brasileira de Proteína Animal (ABPA). Relatório Anual 2019. 167p. 49-81.

  • Adler, B., de La Penã Moctezuma, A. 2010. Leptospira and leptospirosis. Vet. Microbiol., 140, pp. 287-296. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2009.03.012.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aguiar, D.M.; Cavalcante, G.T.; Dib, C.C.; Villalobos, E.M.C.; Cunha, E.M.S.; Lara, M.C.C.S.H.; Rodriguez, C.A.R.; Vasconcellos, S.A.; Moraes, Z.M.; Labruna, M.B.; Camargo, L.M.A; Gennari, S.M. Anticorpos contra agentes bacterianos e virais em suínos de agricultura familiar do município de Monte Negro, RO. Arquivos do Instituto Biológico, São Paulo, 73, 4, 415-420, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azevedo, S.S.; Soto, F.R.M.; Morais, Z.M.; Pinheiro, S.R.; Vuaden, E.R.; Batista, C.S.A.; Souza, G.O.; Delbem, Á.C.B.; Gonçales, A.P.; Vasconcellos, S.A. 2006. Frequency of anti-leptospires agglutinins in sows from swine herd in the Ibiúna Municipality, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Arquivos do Instituto Biológico, São Paulo, 73, 1, 97-100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azevedo, S. S., Soto, F. R. M., Morais, Z. M., Pinheiro, S. R., Batista, C. S. A., Vuaden, E., Arruda, S. 2008: The effects of the leptospiral infection on reproductive performance in sows. Veterinarski Arhiv.78, 13–21.

  • Balakrishnan, G. & Roy, P. Comparison of efficacy of two experimental bovine Leptospira vaccines under laboratory and field. 2014. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 159 (1), 11-15. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2014.03.002.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barragan, V., Olivas, S., Keim, P., Pearson, T. 2017. Critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of environmental cycling and transmission of Leptospira spp. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 83 (19), e01190-e01217, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01190-17

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bertelloni, F., Cilia, G., Turchi, B., Pinzauti, P., Cerri, D., & Fratini, F. 2019. Epidemiology of leptospirosis in North-Central Italy: Fifteen years of serological data (2002–2016). Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 65, 14–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bharti, A.R., Nally, J.E., Ricaldi, J.N., Matthias, M.A., Diaz, M.M., Lovett, M.A., Levett, P.N., Gilman, R.H., Willig, M.R., Gotuzzo, E., Vinetz, J.M., Peru-United States Leptospirosis Consortium. 2003. Leptospirosis: a zoonotic disease of global importance. Lancet Infect. Dis., 3 (12) (2003), 757-771. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(03)00830-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boqvist, S.; Hothi, U.T. 2005. Magnusson, A.A. Annual variations in Leptospira seroprevalence among sows in southern Vietnam. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 6, 443-449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boqvist, S; Chau, B; Gunnarsson, A; Engvall, E. O.; Vagsholm, I; Magnusson, U. 2002. Animal-and herd-level risk factors for leptospiral seropositivity among sows in the Mekong data, Vietnam. Preventive Veterinary Medicine;53(3):233-245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borges, V. F., Bernardi, M. L., Bortolozzo, F. P., & Wentz, I. 2005. Risk factors for stillbirth and foetal mummification in four Brazilian swine herds. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 70(3-4), 165–176. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2005.03.003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brazil. 2002. Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento. Secretaria de Defesa Agropecuária. Instrução Normativa n° 19 de 15 de fevereiro de 2002. Normas para a certificação de granjas de reprodutores suídeos. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, 2002.

  • Brazil. 2004. Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento. Secretaria de Defesa Agropecuária. Instrução Normativa n° 47 de 18 de junho de 2004. Aprova o Regulamento Técnico do Programa Nacional de Sanidade Suídea - PNSS. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, 2004.

  • Brazil. 2009 Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Departamento de Vigilância Epidemiológica. Guia de vigilância epidemiológica / Ministério da Saúde, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Departamento de Vigilância Epidemiológica. – 7. ed. – Brasília : Ministério da Saúde. 816 p.

  • Butler, J. E.; Wertz, N. 2012. The porcine antibody repertoire: variations on the textbook theme. Frontiers in Immunology. 3:153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chattha, K.S.; Vlasova, A.N.; Kandasamy, S; Esseili, M. A.; Siegismund, C; Rajashekara, G; Saif, L. J. 2013. Probiotics and colostrum/milk differentially affect neonatal humoral immune responses to oral rotavirus vaccine. Vaccine 31:1916–1923.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiareli, D.; Moreira, E.C.; Gutiérrez, H.O.D.; Rodrigues, R.O.; Marcelino, A.P.; Meneses, J.N.C.; Almeida, V.M.A. 2008. Freqüência de aglutininas anti-Leptospira interrogans em eqüídeos, em Minas Gerais, 2003 a 2004. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Belo Horizonte, 60, 6, 1576-1579.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delbem, Á.C.B.; Freitas, J.C.D.; Bracarense, A.P.F.; Müller, E.E.; Oliveira, R.C.D. 2002. Leptospirosis in slaughtered sows: serological and histopathological investigation. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 33, 2, 174-177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delbem, A. C. B.; Freire, R. L.; Silva, C. A.; Müller, E. E.; Dias, R. A.; Neto, J. S. F.; Freitas, J. C. 2004. Fatores de risco associados a soropositividade para leptospirose em matrizes suínas. Ciência Rural, Santa Maria, 34, 3, 847-852. 2. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782004000300029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dib, C.C., Gonçales, A.P., Morais, Z.M. et al. Cross-protection between experimental anti-leptospirosis bacterins. Braz J Microbiol, 45 (3) (2014), 1083-1091. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1517-83822014000300042

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, W.A. Leptospirosis. In: Straw, B.E.; D'allaire, S.; Mengeling, W.L.; Taylor, D.J.; Leman, A.D. (Ed.). Diseases of swine. 9.ed. Iowa: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. p.691-700.

  • Ellis, W. A. 2010. Control of canine leptospirosis in Europe: time for a change? Veterinary Record, 167(16), 602–605. Ellis, W.A. 2006. Leptospirosis. In: Straw, B.E.; D’Allaire, S.; Mengeling, W.L.; Taylor, D.J.; Leman, A.D. (Eds.). Diseases of swine. 9 ed. Iowa: Blackwell Publishing. p. 691-700.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, W.A. Animal leptospirosis. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 387 (2015), pp. 99-137. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45059-8_6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fablet, C., Rose, N., Grasland, B., Robert, N., Lewandowski, E., & Gosselin, M. 2018. Factors associated with the growing-finishing performances of swine herds: an exploratory study on serological and herd level indicators. Porcine Health Management, 4(1).

  • Faine, S., Adler, B., Bolin, C., Perolat, P. 1999. Leptospira and Leptospirosis. MedSci, 2 ed. Melbourne, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faine, S. et al. A brief overview of the disease, leptospirosis. In: Faine, S.; Adler, B.; Bolin, C.; Perolat, P. Leptospira and leptospirosis. Melbourne: MedSci, 2000. p.68.

  • Favero, A. C. M.; Pinheiro, S. R.; Vasconcelos, S. A.; Morais, Z. M.; Ferreira, F.; Ferreira Neto, J. S. 2002. Sorovares de Leptospiras predominantes em exames sorológicos de bubalinos, ovinos, caprinos, equinos, suínos e cães de diversos estados brasileiros. Ciência Rural, Santa Maria, 32, 4, 613-619.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo, Í.L., Higino, S.S.S., Alves, C.J., Del Fava, C., Carretero, M.E. & Azevedo, S.S. 2013. Interrelação entre frequência de anticorpos anti-Leptospira spp. e exames histopatológicos (hematoxilina-eosina e warthin-starry) em suínos abatidos no Semiárido Paraibano. Arqs Inst Biológico, São Paulo, 80(1):27-34. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1808-16572013000100005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freitas, J. C. et al. 2004. Isolation of Leptospira spp. from dogs, bovine and swine naturally infected. Ciência Rural, Santa Maria, 34, 3, 853-856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goarant, C. 2016. Leptospirosis: risk factors and management challenges in developing countries. Res. Rep. Trop. Med. (2016), pp. 49-62

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartskeerl, R.A., Smits H.L., Korver H., Goris M.G., Terpstra W.J., Fernández C. 2001. International course on Laboratory Methods for the Diagnosis of Leptospirosis. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases, 32(5), 583–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hashimoto, V.Y., Anzai, E.K., Lima, B.A.C., Silva, F.G., Alves, L.A., Freire, R.L., Teles, O.S., Garcia, J.L., Muller, E.E., Freitas, J.C. 2008. Associação entre as lesões renais microscópicas e a presença de anticorpos contra Leptospira spp. em suínos aparentemente sadios, abatidos em frigorífico da região norte do estado do Paraná. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 29, 875-880.

  • Langoni, H.; Da Silva, A.V.; Pezerico, S.B.; De Lima, V.Y. 2004. Anti-leptospirose agglutinins in equine sera, from São Paulo, Goiás, and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, 1996-2001. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases, 10, 3, 207-218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levett, P.N. Leptospirosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2001;14(2):296-326. doi: https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.14.2.296-326.2001.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lilenbaum, W; Souza, G. 2003. Factors associated with bovine leptospirosis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Research in Veterinary Science. 75(3):249-251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loeffen, W.L.A., van Beuningen, A., Quak, S., Elbers, A.R.W. 2009. Seroprevalence and risk factors for the presence of ruminant pestiviruses in the Dutch swine population, Veterinary Microbiology, 136, 240-245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MAPA. Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento – BRASIL. 2014. Relação de Produtos de Uso Veterinário Licenciados. Available: http://antigo.agricultura.gov.br/assuntos/insumos-agropecuarios/insumos-pecuarios/produtos-veterinarios/arquivos-comunicacoes-e-instrucoes-tecnicas/ProdutosVigentesAbril2014.pdf. Accessed 25.08.20.

  • Michna, S.W., Campbell, R.S.F. 1969. Leptospirosis in pigs: epidemiology, microbiology and pathology. The Veterinary Record, 84, 6, 135-138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miraglia, F., Moreno, L. Z., Morais, Z. M., Langoni, H., Shimabukuro, F. H., Dellagostin, O. A., Hartskeerl, R., Vasconcellos, S. A., & Moreno, A. M. (2015). Characterization of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona isolated from swine in Brazil. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 9(10), 1054–1061. https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.5507.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nagy, G. Comparative pathogenicity study of Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona strains. Acta. Vet. Hung., v.41, p. 315-324, 1993.

  • Ngugi, J. N., Fèvre, E. M., Mgode, G. F., Obonyo, M., Mhamphi, G. G., Otieno, C. A., & Cook, E. A. J. 2019. Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of leptospirosis in slaughter pigs; a neglected public health risk, western Kenya. BMC Veterinary Research, 15(1):403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira, S.J. 1999. Nova ameaça à reprodução em suínos, além da leptospirose? Hora Veterinária, 19, 111, 87-90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osava C.F., Salaberry S.R.S., Nascimento C.C.N., Lima-Ribeiro A.M.C., Moreira R.Q., Castro J.R. & Rigo V.H.B. 2010. Ocorrência de anticorpos anti-Leptospira spp. em diferentes sistemas de criação de suínos. Biosci. J. 26: 202-207

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierozan, C.R.; Agostini, P.S.; Gasa, J.; Novais, A.K; Dias, C.P.; Santos, R.S.K.; Pereira Jr., M.; Nagi, J.G.; Alves, J.B.; Silva, C.A. 2016. Factors affecting the daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio of pigs in grow-finishing units: the case of a company. Porcine Health Management 2, 1-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomar, C., Remus, A. 2019. Precision pig feeding: a breakthrough toward sustainability Anim. Front., 9 (2019), pp. 52-59, https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfz006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos, A. C. F., Souza, G. N., & Lilenbaum, W. 2006. Influence of leptospirosis on reproductive performance of sows in Brazil. Theriogenology, 66(4), 1021–1025. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.08.028.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Santa Rosa, C. A. 1970. Diagnóstico laboratorial das leptospiroses. Revista de Microbiologia, 1, 97-109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimabucuro F.H., Dominues P.F. & Langoni, H. 2003. Pesquisa de suínos portadores renais de leptospiras pelo isolamento microbiano e reação em cadeia pela polimerase em amostras de rins de animais sorologicamente positivos e negativos para leptospirose. Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science. 40(4): 243-253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K. E., Zimmerman, J. J., Patton, S., Beran, G. W., & Hill, H. T. 1992. The epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in Iowa swine farms with an emphasis on the roles of free-living mammals. Veterinary Parasitology, 42(3-4), 199–211.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonada, R. B., Azevedo, S. S. de, Soto, F. R. M., Costa, D. F. da, Morais, Z. M. de, Souza, G. O. de, Vasconcellos, S. A. (2018). Efficacy of leptospiral commercial vaccines on the protection against an autochtonous strain recovered in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 49(2), 347–350. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjm.2017.06.008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Soto, F.R.M.; Vasconcellos, S.A.; Pinheiro, S.R.; Bernarsi, F.; Camargo, S.R. 2007. Leptospirose suína. Arquivos do Instituto Biológico, 74, 4, p. 379-395.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soto, F. R. M., Pinheiro, S. R., Ito, F. H., Moraes, Z. M., Gonçales, A. P., de Azevedo, S. S., Bernardi, F. B., Camargo, S. R., Vasconcellos, S. A. 2008. Evaluation of colostral immunity in swine with commercial anti-leptospira polyvalent whole-bacteria vaccine. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 31(4), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cimid.2007.03.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valença, R. M. B., Mota, R. A., Castro, V., Anderlini, G. A., Pinheiro Júnior, J. W., Brandespim, D. F., Guerra, M. M. P. 2012. Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Leptospira spp. Infection in Technified Swine Farms in the State of Alagoas, Brazil Risk Factors Associated with Leptospira spp. in Swine Farms. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 60(1), 79–86. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1865-1682.2012.01320.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zuerner, R.L., Alt, D.P., Palmer, M.V., Thacker, T.C., Olsen, S.C. A Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo vaccine induces a Th1 response, activates NK cells, and reduces renal colonization, Clin Vaccine Immunol., 18 (2011), pp. 684-691. doi: https://doi.org/10.1128/CVI.00288-10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all the members of Swine Medicine Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Clinic and Surgery, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, for support on this Project.

Funding

The PROPe—Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa of São Paulo State University provided the support granted (ICSB—Edital 8/2018—PROPe/UNESP).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Clinic and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil

    Fernando Antônio Moreira Petri, Karina Sonalio, Henrique Meiroz de Souza Almeida, Marina Lopes Mechler-Dreibi, Luís Antônio Mathias & Luís Guilherme de Oliveira

  2. COMIGO Cooperative, Av. Presidente Vargas 1878, Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil

    José Vanderlei Burim Galdeano

Authors
  1. Fernando Antônio Moreira Petri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karina Sonalio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Henrique Meiroz de Souza Almeida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marina Lopes Mechler-Dreibi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. José Vanderlei Burim Galdeano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Luís Antônio Mathias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Luís Guilherme de Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luís Guilherme de Oliveira.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement of animal rights

The institution’s ethics committee approved this research and the certificate registered under protocol no. 001216/18 on Feb. 8, 2018.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

ESM 1

(DOCX 54.1 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Petri, F.A.M., Sonalio, K., de Souza Almeida, H.M. et al. Cross-sectional study of Leptospira spp. in commercial pig farms in the state of Goiás, Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 53, 13 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-020-02457-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-020-02457-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation