Skrining serologis antibodi IgG dan IgM leptospira pada masyarakat yang tinggal di wilayah berisiko di Kota Manado

Abstract

Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that remains a significant public health concern in tropical regions. Manado City possesses several environmental conditions that may facilitate Leptospira transmission, including frequent flooding and the presence of rodents. However, information regarding the serological status of communities living in high-risk areas remains limited, and potential exposure not identified through routine case-based surveillance is still unclear.

Purpose: To determine the serological reactivity of anti-Leptospira IgG and IgM antibodies among individuals living in high-risk areas of Manado City.

Method: A descriptive study was conducted from January to May 2025 in Manado City, Indonesia. A total of 221 participants were recruited using purposive sampling based on residence in leptospirosis-prone areas. Anti-Leptospira IgG and IgM antibodies were detected using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT), while participants' demographic and environmental characteristics were collected through a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively and presented as frequencies, percentages, and narrative descriptions.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 43.68 ± 12.37 years, with most respondents aged 18–59 years (88.7%), male (75.1%), and employed as laborers (43.9%). Most participants reported living in flood-affected households (74.7%) and in environments where rodents were present (96.4%). Serological testing revealed that 219 participants (99.1%) were negative for both IgG and IgM antibodies, while two participants (0.9%) were positive for IgM and negative for IgG. No participants were positive for IgG antibodies.

Conclusion: Although most participants lived in environments characterized by recognized risk factors for leptospirosis, including flooding and rodent exposure, serological reactivity to Leptospira was low. These findings provide baseline information on the serological status of communities residing in high-risk areas and support the importance of continuous surveillance through serological screening complemented by confirmatory methods such as the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of leptospirosis epidemiology.

Suggestion: Future research should employ confirmatory methods such as the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) and/or molecular testing based on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to confirm serological screening results and improve the accuracy of Leptospira infection identification.

Keywords: IgG; IgM; Leptospira; Leptospirosis; Serological Screening.