Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leptospira infection found in dogs and cats during neutering
By Thongdee, Metawee et al.·Published in PLoS neglected tropical diseases·2026·Faculty of Veterinary Science·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pathogenic Leptospira species identified in dogs and cats during neutering in Thailand.
Plain-English summary
A study in Thailand found that nearly 10% of dogs and cats undergoing neutering tested positive for Leptospira bacteria, which can cause leptospirosis, a disease that can affect both pets and humans. Specifically, 11.2% of dogs and 8.3% of cats were infected, even though many appeared healthy. The research identified several strains of Leptospira, including one that had not been previously detected in pets in Thailand. This highlights the importance of monitoring and vaccinating pets against leptospirosis to reduce the risk of transmission to humans.
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Abstract
Pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira cause an underdiagnosed zoonosis in humans and animals called leptospirosis. Animal reservoirs often remain asymptomatic yet shed the active spirochete in urine, making the control of leptospirosis transmission to humans more challenging. Asymptomatic leptospirosis in human companions, such as dogs and cats, resulting in unrecognised infections, has been demonstrated in a few countries. Crucially, the current lack of molecular epidemiology data on Leptospira among companion animals in Thailand underscores the urgent need to investigate transmission dynamics for effective regional control. We investigated the prevalence of Leptospira infection in cats and dogs during neutering in seven provinces across Thailand. The urine samples were screened for Leptospira DNA by PCR targeting the rrs gene and further speciation using the Sanger Sequencing Analysis. The 56/567 (9.9%) animals were positive for Leptospira in the Pathogen clade, including 34/303 (11.2%) dogs and 22/264 (8.3%) cats. The partial rrs gene analysis identified L. interrogans, L. weilii, and L. borgpetersenii (4.4%) as well as Pathogen subclade 2 species (1.4%). Notably, this study reports the first molecular detection of L. yasudae (1.0%) in companion animals in Thailand. The identification of these three key pathogenic Leptospira species, common causes of human leptospirosis in Southeast Asia, in clinically healthy owned and free-roaming dogs and cats, suggests the risk of human leptospirosis in the areas investigated. These companion animals, often living in close contact with human, may contribute to daily risks. Therefore, enhanced surveillance and vaccination programs for dogs and cats, coupled with targeted public awareness campaigns, are critical for mitigating the risk of human infections.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41637464/