in Slaughtered Fattening Pigs in Southern Italy: Serological Survey and Molecular Typing.

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis of worldwide significance; a wide spectrum of wild and domestic animal species act as natural or accidental hosts. Swine can act as maintenance or accidental hosts of pathogenic spp. This study aimed at investigation of spp. prevalence and diversity in slaughtered pigs in southern Italy (Sicily). In total, 55 samples of kidneys and blood were collected. Microscopic agglutination test and real-time PCR were performed to detect pathogenic and intermediately pathogenic . Partial gene sequencing and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) were performed to characterize species. The analysis showed a seropositivity rate of 16.4%, with Australis representing the most frequently identified serogroup (63.64%); Pomona and Sejroe were detected with a prevalence of 27.27% and 9.09%, respectively. Pathogenic Leptospiral DNA was detected in 2 kidney samples (3.64%). were identified through MLST as serovar Tarassovi (serogroup Tarassovi). Obtained data confirmed the presence of infection among pigs in southern Italy, suggesting that management of these animals may be considered an occupational risk for humans.