Seropositivity of spp. Antibodies among Febrile Patients Attending Outpatient Clinics in Mwanza, Tanzania: Should It Be Included in Routine Diagnosis?

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic neglected tropical disease with a worldwide distribution caused by the pathogenic spirochetes of the genus . Despite being a widespread disease in tropical regions, it has never been considered in the routine diagnostic panel for febrile patients. This study determined seropositivity and factors associated with antibodies among febrile adult patients in Mwanza, Tanzania. The cross-sectional study involving 296 febrile patients attending different outpatient clinics in Mwanza region was conducted between May and July 2019. Detection of serovars antibodies was done using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Descriptive analysis was done using STATA version 13. The median age of the febrile patients was 32 (IQR: 24-45 years). Out of 296 patients, 36 (12.16%, 95%CI: 8-15) were seropositive for antibodies. Common circulating serovars were Sokoine 28 (9.45%), followed by Lora 12 (4.05%) and Grippotyphosa 2 (0.67%). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds of being seropositive were significantly higher with increased age (aOR: 1.03, 95%CI 1.00-1.07, = 0.03). About one tenth of febrile patients in Mwanza were seropositive for antibodies and this was significantly associated with age. With the decline of malaria fever in endemic areas, other causes of febrile illness like spp. should be considered in the routine diagnostic panel for febrile patients.