Investigação da leptospirose em cascavéis Crotalus Durissus Collilineatus mantidas em cativeiro

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of global public health importance and can affect all groups of vertebrates, including reptiles. These animals can play a role in the epidemiological cycle of the disease spreading and keeping the causative agent in the environment. Leptospirosis is little known in snakes and this study was designed to cover the gaps in the occurrence of the disease in these animals. The occurrence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in rattlesnakes Crotalus durissus collilineatus kept in captivity was evaluated and the most common serotypes in these animals were determined using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). Changes in concentrations of plasma biochemical constituents in positive snakes were also evaluated, depending on the antibody titre presented at MAT. Almost 90% of the rattlesnakes used in this study were positive to the serological test and the most common serotypes were Javanica, Andamana and Patoc. The most common titres were 25 and 50, but there were titres as high as 1600. Captive snakes can act as important sources of leptospira infection for humans and so it is critical that the disease is recognized and controlled. Although apparently healthy, alterations in biochemical parameters indicated inflammation and infection in animals with low antibody titres. Rattlesnakes with high titres showed signs of severe kidney damage and liver disease, which are common in leptospirosis. The biochemical assessment of positive MAT reptiles may be important to diagnose the infection in these animals.