| Abstract: | Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world and significant efforts
have been made to determine and classify pathogenic Leptospira
strains. This zoonosis is maintained in nature through chronic renal
infections of carrier animals, with rodents and other small mammals serving as the
most important reservoirs. Additionally, domestic animals, such as livestock and
dogs, are significant sources of human infection. In this study, a
multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) was
applied to genotype 22 pathogenic Leptospira strains isolated from
urban and periurban rodent populations from different regions of Argentina. Three
MLVA profiles were identified in strains belonging to the species Leptospira
interrogans (serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae and Canicola); one profile was
observed in serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae and two MLVA profiles were observed in
isolates of serovars Canicola and Portlandvere. All strains belonging to
Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Castellonis exhibited the same
MLVA profile. Four different genotypes were isolated from urban populations of
rodents, including both mice and rats and two different genotypes were isolated from
periurban populations. |
