Leptospirosis in Urban Wild Boars, Berlin, Germany

Abstract

We found antibodies to leptospires in 25 (18%) of 141 wild boars from Berlin (95% confidence interval 12-25). Seropositivity was associated with chronic interstitial nephritis (odds ratio 10.5; p=0.01), and leptospires were detected in kidney tissues. Wild boars represent a potential source for human leptospirosis in urban environments.