Resumen

CRISTANCHO- TORRES, Diana S; BENITEZ-CABRERA, Karen A  y  GONGORA-ORJUELA, Agustín. Undergraduate veterinary students'knowledge about leptospirosis and its reactogenecity, Villavicencio, 2011. Orinoquia [online]. 2012, vol.16, n.2, pp.118-124. ISSN 0121-3709.

This study was aimed at determining the seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in veterinary students and their knowledge concerning leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used on 99 subjects' sera obtained following them having given their informed consent; a survey containing 8 questions about the disease was also used. Possible associations between knowledge, sociodemographic characteristics and affiliation with positivity were explored. Seroprevalence was 5.05% and serovar distribution was 1% for L. javanica, 1% for L. wolfii, 1% for L. grippotyphosa and 4% for L. pomona; no reactivity to other serovars was found. Veterinary students' knowledge about leptospirosis was rated 17.17% high, 67.67%medium and 15.15%low.Antibody prevalence was higher in students aged less than 20 years-old, those in their final semesters of training and those having more knowledge. It was thus concluded that prevalence was low in a group considered to be at occupational risk; however, knowledge/understanding about the aetiology, epidemiology and early detection of leptospirosis must be reinforced.

Palabras clave : leptospirosis; knowledge; zoonosis; Villavicencio; agglutination.

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