Serological and molecular detection of Leptospira spp. in ring-tailed coati (Nasua nasua) from an Ecological Park

Wild animals often play a role in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens. Among the wild mammals of South America, ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) can present a high frequency of anti-Leptospira antibodies and carry Leptopsira spp. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of seric anti-Leptopsira antibodies and perform the molecular identification of Leptospira spp. in ring-tailed coatis living in the Tietê River Ecological Park, in southeastern Brazil. Blood and urine samples were obtained from ring-tailed coatis. Serum was tested using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). Urine was cultured in semi-solid Ellinghausen–McCullough–Johnson–Harris medium. The inoculum was cultivated at 28 °C and monitored over six weeks. Total DNA from the urine samples was extracted and 16S rRNA gene and lipL32 were searched by PCR. Of 192 animals, 36 (18.75 %) had positive serum samples in the MAT. The most frequent serogroups in MAT were Grippotyphosa (11.46 %; 22/192), Autumnalis (7.81 %; 15/192) and Cynopteri (2.60 %; 5/192). A total of 116 urine samples were obtained. None Leptospira spp. were isolated, however twelve samples were positive for the 16S rRNA gene (10.3%) and four were positive for the lipL32 gene (3.4%). These results indicate a high frequency of seric of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in coatis from the Tietê River Ecological Park and highlight their potential role as carriers of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in urine.