Prevalence of Leptospira IgG Antibodies Among Dog Handlers in Jos South and Kanke Local Government Areas, Plateau State, Nigeria

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide occurrence cause by the bacterial spirochete Leptospira. Many wild and domestic animals, including dogs, shed Leptospira in their urine and serve as sources of human infection, either directly or indirectly. The study aimed to investigate anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies among dog handlers. Blood samples were collected (in September to November, 2018) from 143 participants into plain EDTA bottles, sera were separated by centrifugation and harvested into cryovials using a sterile pipette. Demographic data for the research subjects were collected using a structured questionnaire. The detection of anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies was achieved using Diagnostic Automation Inc. (DAI) ELISA Kit USA, with 100/100 reported sensitivity/specificity. The study found prevalences of 47.8% (95% CI: 37.5–58.1) in Jos South and 54.7% (95% CI: 41.4–68.0) in Kanke LGAs. None of the sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with Leptospira IgG seropositivity on univariate analysis; however, after adjusting for confounders, occupation showed a significant association with Leptospira antibodies in the multivariable logistic regression model (p = 0.021 overall). Seropositivity to Leptospira antibodies appeared higher among veterinary practitioners (72.7%) at 95% CI (53.0–92.0) than other dog handlers, but not statistically significant (p=0.070). Additional methods, such as the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), IgM ELISA (for paired sera samples), and PCR, are needed to establish active Leptospira infection. Further studies that consider both dogs and their handlers are recommended to definitively establish the role of dogs in such a high prevalence.