Ciência Rural (Nov 2020)

Leptospira interrogans infection in tegu lizard (Tupinambis merianae), Brazil

  • Juciê Jales Fernandes,
  • Tiago Junior Pinheiro,
  • Diego Figueiredo Costa,
  • João Pessoa Araújo Júnior,
  • Camila Dantas Malossi,
  • Leila Sabrina Ullmann,
  • Maria Luana Cristiny Rodrigues Silva,
  • Sérgio Santos Azevedo,
  • Clebert José Alves,
  • Severino Silvano dos Santos Higino

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20200424
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 50, no. 12

Abstract

Read online Read online

ABSTRACT: We used 12 tegu lizards (Tupinambis merianae) from northeastern Brazil, and we reported nine (75%) Leptospira sp. PCR-positive animals and six (50%) seropositive. Leptospira sp. DNA sequencing revealed 99% similarity with L. interrogans. Our findings indicated that this species may play a role in the transmission of human leptospirosis.

Keywords