Jobbins et al (2015) reported on the first large-scale
assessment of renal carrier states of Leptospira sp
among African wildlife in the Chobe national park
in Botswana. Employing polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) screens 69 different species were examined and
17 species (24.6%) tested positive for renal carriage
of Leptospira sp. Findings revealed positive results
in 31.4% (11/35) of mammals, 27.8% (5/18) of bird
and 6.3% (1/16) of reptile species. The findings of
their study revealed that all the positive sequences
featured a region specific for pathogenic Leptospira.
These were identical to Leptospira interrogans
from banded mongoose Genbank :JX254899),
and the pathogenic L. interrogans serovars Lai
(Genbank:NR-076185) and Copenhageni (Genbank:
NR-076199).
Renal carriage states in warthog, white-tailed
mongoose, Angolan free-tailed bat, African savannah
hare, tree squirrel, aardvark, Cape turtle dove,
southern ground hornbill, arrow-marked babbler,
glossy ibis, barn owl and herald snake are all reported
by the authors. A high prevalence of Leptospira sp
DNA was also observed in banded mongoose (22.1%,
n = 7/77) and brown rats (23.4%, n =18/77). The
latter are both established carriers of Leptospira
sp. in sub-Saharan Africa. More recently (2015) the
authors also reported that, 43.0% of 42 Botswanan
mongooses had PCR-positive kidney tissue and renal
carriage was also detected in one Selous’ mongoose.
East Africa
Data has been reported to be scarce with no
significant findings reported in wildlife (de Vries et al
2014) apart from a study in Djibouti which
revealed a remarkably high seroprevalence
in small groups of camels.
of Leptospira hardjo in African buffalos (and cattle)
was determined by Atherstone et al (2014) in the
southwestern Uganda. Positive results were found in
both cattle and African buffalo from two locations and
the seroprevalence was 42.39% in African buffalo and
29.35% in cattle.
Wildlife in the rest of the world
A number of studies were published from different
regions of the globe. Petrakovsky et al (2014)
reviewed the status of leptospirosis in Latin America
and the Carribean countries.
They reported the following wildlife species to show
serological evidence of infection by Leptospira sp.
In Argentinia arboreal squirrels, south American
gray foxes, wild and domestic carnivore (Leopardus
geoffroyi) and pampas deer. In Brazil non-human
primates (Cebus paella, Alouatta caraya, Nasua
nasua), gray foxes (Cerdocyon thous), rodents
(Dasyprocta sp.), capybaras , anteaters , armadillos,
wild canids (Cerdocyon thous, Crysocyon brachyurus,
Speothos venaticus, Pseudalopex vetulus), raccoons,
white-lipped peccaries , collared anteaters, ocelots,
marsupials, (Didelphis albiventris) and pumas.
In Columbia Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, neotropical
primates (Ateles fusciceps, Ateles geoffroyi, Cebus
albifrons, Cebus paella, Cebus capuccinos and
Saguinus leucopus), Puma, ocelot. (Panthera onca,
Leopardus tigrinus). In Peru captive collared peccaries
RT (Tayassu tajacu), capybaras, Rattus rattus,
Proechymis, marsupials.
Central Africa
Duikers from five different species were
serologically screened in the Ituri forest
(in the then Zaire) and 5/61 had a single
positive titre whilst 5/61 had positive
titres against more than one serovar. The
most common serovar was Leptospira
interrogans hardjo. The seroprevalence
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