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

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by pathogenic species of the genus . 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%, = 67/532; 95% CI: 9.9-15.7%), with 8.1% ( = 43/532) being seropositive for anti- IgG, indicating previous infection, and 4.9% ( = 26/532) for anti- IgM, indicating current infection. Two significant factors such as host age ( 0.01) and knowledge of disease transmission ( = 0.017) significantly influenced the presence of anti- IgM, whereas the detection of anti-IgG indicated the presence of clean drinking water sources ( = 0.043). Despite the low prevalence, the transmission of leptospirosis does occur among urban poor communities, suggesting the need for undertaking public awareness programs.