First histopathological study in kidneys of rodents naturally infected with Leptospira pathogenic species from Yucatan, Mexico

Objective: To report the renal histological lesions in synanthropic rodents, Mus musculus and Rattus rattus, naturally infected with Leptospira spp., captured in a rural community in Yucatan, Mexico. Methods: Kidney samples of synanthropic rodents were collected from a rural community in Yucatan, Mexico. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect Leptospira spp. infection. Tissue kidney was fixed in 10% buffered formalin, processed according to the usual techniques for paraffin inclusion, cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and examined using a conventional electronic microscope. Results: A total of 187 rodents were captured. Nine individuals (4.8%) were positive for Leptospira spp. in the molecular analysis. All renal lesions observed in the histopathological study had been reported previously for Leptospira spp. infection. Conclusions: The histopathological lesions are present in the kidneys, plus the results of the polymerase chain reaction confirm that these rodents are true carriers of Leptospira spp.

First histopathological study in kidneys of rodents naturally infected with Leptospira pathogenic species from Yucatan, Mexico

OBJECTIVE@#To report the renal histological lesions in synanthropic rodents, Mus musculus and Rattus rattus, naturally infected with Leptospira spp., captured in a rural community in Yucatan, Mexico.@*METHODS@#Kidney samples of synanthropic rodents were collected from a rural community in Yucatan, Mexico. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect Leptospira spp. infection. Tissue kidney was fixed in 10% buffered formalin, processed according to the usual techniques for paraffin inclusion, cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and examined using a conventional electronic microscope.@*RESULTS@#A total of 187 rodents were captured. Nine individuals (4.8%) were positive for Leptospira spp. in the molecular analysis. All renal lesions observed in the histopathological study had been reported previously for Leptospira spp. infection.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The histopathological lesions are present in the kidneys, plus the results of the polymerase chain reaction confirm that these rodents are true carriers of Leptospira spp.