Absence of anti-Leptospira antibodies in stray dogs suggests alternative reservoirs: 2020~2021 study in Seoul

초록

Leptospirosis, a globally prevalent zoonotic disease, is primarily caused by Leptospira interrogans and poses significant public health challenges, especially in tropical regions. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of leptospiral infections among stray dogs in Seoul, Korea, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) for 15 standard leptospiral strains during 2020∼2021. Despite the historical context of canine leptospirosis and its role in zoonotic transmission, all 330 stray dogs tested in this survey were found negative for Leptospira antibodies. These findings suggest that stray dogs are unlikely to be a reservoir for Leptospira and that unknown alternative reservoirs such as rodents and other animals may exist, but this study found no evidence to support this. The study underscores the need for continuous surveillance and management of stray dogs to prevent zoonotic diseases, reflecting on both past findings and the negative results of current tests. Further research is necessary to validate these findings across different environmental conditions and to improve diagnostic methods beyond the standard MAT due to its limitations in handling and sensitivity.

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