Prevalence of Leptospira spp. in various species of small mammals caught in an inner-city area in Switzerland

Abstract

In order to establish the leptospira carrier rate of small animals in an urban environment, small rodents and shrews were captured in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. Kidney specimens of 190 animals were examined using a leptospira specific PCR assay. Leptospiral DNA was amplified in kidneys of 12·6% of the animals.