ANTICORPOS ANTI-Leptospira spp. E LEPTOSPIRÚRIA EM GATOS NA REGIÃO METROPOLITANA DE CURITIBA/PR-BRASIL.

Leptospirosis is still poorly known in cats and the role of the specie in the disease epidemiology is indeterminate. Clinical disease descriptions are rare, although cats may produce response with specific antibodies after infection. Serological studies have showed a varying prevalence from 6.96 to 26.7%. Despite the specie's larger resistance, the transmission possibility should not be ignored since is confirmed that after infection or disease the pathogen can be eliminated in the urine. The study's objective was to detect leptospiruria by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and anti-Leptospira spp. Antibodies by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) in cats exposed to infection association factors in the metropolitan zone of Curitiba / PR. Blood and urine samples were collected from 65 cats (13 from São José dos Pinhais and 52 from Pinhais) from august to november 2016(th). Three animals (4.6%) were seropositive for the Pomona serovar, with titles ranging from 200 to 400. Of all the 65 samples collected, one (1.53%) was PCR positive. As a result, we can conclude that cats from the metropolitan area of Curitiba/PR exposed to infection associated factors are susceptible to contamination with Leptospira spp. and may show leptospiruria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]