@article{fdi:010067674,
  title = {{H}uman leptospirosis on {R}eunion {I}sland, {I}ndian {O}cean : are rodents the (only) ones to blame ?},
  author = {{G}uernier, {V}anina and {L}agadec, {E}. and {C}ordonin, {C}. and {L}e {M}inter, {G}. and {G}omard, {Y}. and {P}agss, {F}. and {J}affar-{B}andjee, {M}. {C}. and {M}ichault, {A}. and {T}ortosa, {P}. and {D}ellagi, {K}oussay},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {A}lthough leptospirosis is a zoonosis of major concern on tropical islands, the molecular epidemiology of the disease aiming at linking human cases to specific animal reservoirs has been rarely explored within these peculiar ecosystems. {M}ethodology/{P}rincipal {F}indings {F}ive species of wild small mammals (n = 995) as well as domestic animals (n = 101) were screened for {L}eptospira infection on {R}eunion {I}sland; positive samples were subsequently genotyped and compared to {L}eptospira from clinical cases diagnosed in 2012-2013 (n = 66), using {MLST} analysis. {W}e identified two pathogenic species in human cases, namely {L}eptospira interrogans and {L}eptospira borgpetersenii. {L}eptospira interrogans was by far dominant both in clinical samples (96.6%) and in infected animal samples (95.8%), with {R}attus spp and dogs being its exclusive carriers. {T}he genetic diversity within {L}. interrogans was apparently limited to two sequence types ({ST}s): {ST}02, identified among most clinical samples and in all rats with complete {MLST}, and {ST}34, identified in six humans, but not in rats. {N}oteworthy, {L}. interrogans detected in two stray dogs partially matched with {ST}02 and {ST}34. {L}eptospira borgpetersenii was identified in two clinical samples only (3.4%), as well as in cows and mice; four haplotypes were identified, of which two seemingly identical in clinical and animal samples. {L}eptospira borgpetersenii haplotypes detected in human cases were clearly distinct from the lineage detected so far in the endemic bat species {M}ormopterus francoismoutoui, thus excluding a role for this volant mammal in the local human epidemiology of the disease. {C}onclusions/{S}ignificance {O}ur data confirm rats as a major reservoir of {L}eptospira on {R}eunion {I}sland, but also pinpoint a possible role of dogs, cows and mice in the local epidemiology of human leptospirosis. {T}his study shows that a comprehensive molecular characterization of pathogenic {L}eptospira in both clinical and animal samples helps to gaining insight into leptospirosis epidemiology within a specific environmental setting.},
  keywords = {{REUNION}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {10},
  numero = {6},
  pages = {e0004733 [19 ]},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0004733},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010067674},
}