Sero-Epidemiological Study of Leptospirosis in Healthy People in Qaemshahr, Iran, 2015

Background and Human leptospirosis is prevalent and endemic in north of Iran, especially in Guilan and Mazandaran provinces as temperate regions. The purpose of this study was to survey the epidemiologic and sero-prevalence nature of leptospirosis in healthy people in Mazandaran province.
A cross sectional study was carried out in three rural regions in Ghaemshahr, Iran, 2015. The participants included 272 paddy field workers who were selected via convenience sampling. Demographic information was recorded and serum samples were tested for anti-leptospiral IgG antibodies.
The subjects were 184 (67.5%) males and 88 (32.5%) females. There were 265 (98.1%) farmers and 284 (93.4%) worked in paddy fields. Positive anti-Leptospira IgG (> 0.3) was observed in 49 cases (18%). Significant association was found between working in paddy fields and serology test results (P=0.043). But there was no significant relation between age, gender and exposure to animal and positive serology (P=0.699, P=0.32, P=0.092, respectively).
High sero-positivity, high number of people working in paddy fields and ecologic conditions of the province calls for appropriate training programs for farm workers such as wearing standard shoe covers in the hope that leptospirosis is controlled.