Leptospirose em capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Linnaeus, 1766): uma revisão integrativa (2020-2025) sobre prevalência, sorovares circulantes e implicações epidemiológicas

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a significant zoonosis with impacts on human health, and wild animals stand out as important hosts of Leptospira spp. Rodents, the order to which capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Linnaeus, 1766) belong, are recognized as the primary reservoirs of the disease. Due to their semi-aquatic lifestyle, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris may play a relevant role in the epidemiological chain of leptospirosis. This integrative review analyzed the occurrence of this zoonosis in capybaras between 2020 and 2025 on a global scale. The objective was to assess the geographical distribution of the studies, the serogroups or serovars identified, the epidemiological implications related to the disease's zoonotic potential, and the infection prevalence. The electronic search was conducted in the databases Google Scholar, PubMed, SciELO, and ScienceDirect, yielding 679 studies, of which only eight met the inclusion criteria (analysis of leptospirosis in capybaras and full-text availability). Animals were found reactive to the following Leptospira spp. serovars: Bratislava (Australis), Autumnalis (Autumnalis), Canicola (Canicola), Djasiman (Djasiman), Grippotyphosa (Grippotyphosa), Copenhageni (Icterohaemorrhagiae), Icterohaemorrhagiae (Icterohaemorrhagiae), Panama (Panama), Pomona (Pomona), Sejroe (Sejroe), and Tarassovi (Tarassovi). All presented zoonotic potential and the capacity to infect domestic animals. A concentration of studies was observed in the Southeast region of Brazil, especially in the state of São Paulo, with gaps in other regions of the country. Of the included works, seven investigated free-ranging capybaras, and only one assessed captive individuals. The average prevalence of leptospirosis observed was approximately 38%, with values ranging from 0% to 100% across studies. This review underscores the role of capybaras as reservoirs of leptospirosis and highlights the need for further research to improve understanding of the disease9s epidemiology and to support the implementation of effective One Health strategies, considering the risk of transmission to humans and domestic animals.