Seroprevalence of Anti-Leptospira IgG and IgM Antibodies and Risk Assessment of Leptospirosis among Urban Poor Communities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by pathogenic species of the genus <i>Leptospira</i>. Disease incidence is known to be attributed to environmental and social conditions which promote the spread of reservoir hosts, primarily rodents. A well-being program was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with leptospirosis in urban poor communities occupying low-cost flat accommodation and squatter settlements in the vicinity of Wilayah Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur. Blood samples from a total of 532 volunteers were screened for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against leptospirosis using ELISA. Demographic data were collected for each participant through a questionnaire survey before blood collection. The overall seroprevalence was low (12.6%, <i>n</i> = 67/532; 95% CI: 9.9-15.7%), with 8.1% (<i>n</i> = 43/532) being seropositive for anti-<i>Leptospira</i> IgG, indicating previous infection, and 4.9% (<i>n</i> = 26/532) for anti-<i>Leptospira</i> IgM, indicating current infection. Two significant factors such as host age (<i>P ≤</i> 0.01) and knowledge of disease transmission (<i>P</i> = 0.017) significantly influenced the presence of anti-<i>Leptospira</i> IgM, whereas the detection of anti-IgG indicated the presence of clean drinking water sources (<i>P</i> = 0.043). Despite the low prevalence, the transmission of leptospirosis does occur among urban poor communities, suggesting the need for undertaking public awareness programs.