Emerging and Changing Patterns in Prevalence of Anti-leptospiral Antibodies Against Different Serogroups in Livestock in Andaman-Islands Ecosystem

This study investigated the relative distribution of Leptospira serovars and changing patterns of anti-leptospiral antibodies in the endemic Andaman Islands of India. A total of 490 purposive random serum samples from cattle (n = 386) and goats (n = 104) were collected from December 2019 to January 2020 and were tested in a microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using a panel of 17 reference Leptospira serovars comprising 16 serogroups including two serovars of intermediate Leptospira species. The total overall seroprevalence of 17.6% (86/490) was observed, with 17.6% attributed to cattle and 17.3% to goats. The major reactive serogroup-specific anti-leptospiral antibodies observed were Icterohaemorrhagiae (32.6%), Hardjo (15.1%), Hebdomadis (11.6%), Grippotyphosa (10.5%), Pomona (9.3%), Tarassovi (9.3%), amongst others. This investigation provides evidence for the circulation and emergence of pathogenic Tarassovi and Djasiman serovars and intermediate Hurstbridge serovar in the livestock of South Andaman. This study’s findings would help further strengthen the one-health strategy and mitigate the leptospirosis burden in the Andaman Islands ecosystem of India.