A first insight into the occurrence of Leptospira, Brucella and Coxiella burnetii infections in wild mammals rescued from illegal trade in Ecuador: A proxy for one health conservation policies

Abstract

Illegal wildlife trade is a major concern not only for conservation and animal welfare but also for public health. Human interaction with wild animals increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, while exposure of wildlife to humans and domestic animals poses additional threats to biodiversity through the spread of infectious diseases. This issue is particularly critical in tropical, biodiversity-rich countries like Ecuador, often low- and middle-income nations where resources for conservation are limited. In the absence of official data on illegal wildlife trafficking in Ecuador, several non-profit organizations work in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment to combat this trade and rehabilitate rescued animals, with the ultimate goal of returning them to their natural habitats. In this study, we addressed for the first time in Ecuador the occurrence of three endemic zoonotic pathogens that cause reproductive problems (Leptospira spp., Brucella spp., and Coxiella burnetii) in wild mammals. A total number of 28 individuals from 15 different species, including primates and felines, were included. All the animals tested positive for antibodies against Leptospira spp., and a great diversity of antibodies against pathogenic serovars was found. Moreover, 7.4 % CI: (2.0 %–22.6 %) and 3.7 % CI: (0.6 %–17.7 %) of the animals tested were positive for antibodies against C. burnetii and Brucella spp., respectively. Our results show that wild mammals are a reservoir for leptospirosis in Ecuador. Also, there is a risk of transmission of C. burnetii and Brucella spp. from domestic animals to wildlife and vice versa, associated with anthropogenic activities like farming, as those pathogens have a high prevalence in cattle and dogs in Ecuador. In conclusion, wildlife illegal traffic represents a threat to conservation, animal welfare, and public health issues that need to be managed with One Health-inspired policies, like educational programs warning about the risk of wildlife possession for humans and domestic animals.