Characterisation of pathogenic in invasive raccoons () in northeast and southwest France.

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Although crucial to mitigate the disease risk, basic epidemiological information is lacking, such as the identities of maintenance hosts. The raccoon (), an alien invasive species in France, could pose a public health risk if it carries pathogenic We investigated the rate and type (selective vs. unselective) of carriage in the two main raccoon populations in France. Out of the 141 raccoons collected, seven (5%) tested quantitative PCR positive, targeting gene, based on kidney, lung, and urine samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of three different clusters. The results suggest that raccoons were more likely accidental hosts and made only a limited contribution to maintenance.