Prevalence of <i>Leptospira interrogans</i> in free range domestic duck (<i>Cairina moschata</i>) from selected areas of Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Leptospirosis is described as the most common and universal zoonotic bacterial disease around the world caused by Leptospira interrogans which affects different species of domestic and wild animals. The bacteria may occurs worldwide especially in subtropical, tropical, and wet environment with slightly alkaline soil. The current study was conducted between November 2016 and July 2017 in the selected areas in Morogoro aimed at estimating the prevalence and establishes the common serovars of Leptospira in free range ducks. A total of 30 ducks from 12 households were used. Before blood sample collection, the duck biodata was recorded and the owner was asked on the general management system including the scavenging areas and any veterinary intervention in place. The ducks were restrained and blood samples were collected from the branchial vein and left to clot before harvesting the serum. Multiple Agglutination Tests was performed using four serovars namely Kenya, Grippotyphosa, Pomona and Hebdomadis as reference serovars. The results indicated that all the ducks were local breeds (Cairina moschata) which scavenged for fed around homestead. The ducks accessed dumping areas; stagnant water, animal houses and the mud around. No veterinary intervention to ducks was reported by all 12 respondents interviewed. Laboratory results indicated that 5 samples (16.7%) were positive at 1:20, 1:40 for Hebdomadis and Kenya serovars which implies that the ducks had been exposed to the specific Leptospira serovars. This study reports for the first time the seroprevelence of leptosirosis in ducks in Tanzania. Because of the zoonotic nature of Leptospira and sharing of common environment between ducks and humans, the diseases can easily get access to human. Therefore, in the efforts of surveillance and control of leptosisis in humans and animals, ducks should also be involved.

Key words: Leptospirosis, Leptospira interrogans, MAT, serovars, ducks