Molecular detection of leptospira species among dogs in kelantan

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can infect many mammals including dogs. It carries the potential for zoonotic transmission, presenting a risk to humans and posing threats to public health. There has been a lack of studies conducted on canine leptospirosis in Kelantan, Malaysia. This study was conducted to detect the presence of Leptospira spp. among dogs in Kelantan by molecular detection. A total of 31 blood samples were collected from the dogs in Kelantan. After DNA extraction of blood samples, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA gene was performed followed by gel electrophoresis. Among the 31 sampled dogs, 54.84% were female, 45.16% were male, and most of them were adults age ranging from 1 to 6 years old by 67.74%. The findings revealed the absence of Leptospira spp. in the collected blood samples from dogs in Kelantan. Findings highlighting the absence of Leptospira have a significant impact on enhancing the understanding of local disease epidemiology, suggesting a potential minimal threat of canine leptospirosis. In conclusion, the prevalence of Leptospira spp., as determined by molecular detection through PCR among dogs in Kelantan, was zero.
Keywords: Leptospirosis, Dogs, PCR, 16S rRNA