[Significance of human leptospirosis in Mexico. Detection of Leptospira antibodies in a blood donor population].

The presence of specific serum antibodies has been used as a diagnostic test for human leptospirosis. The presence of these antibodies in humans is indicative of an active natural infection. Its detection after exposure denotes the presence of immunity. Serum samples from 206 adult blood donors were analyzed with a microscopic agglutination assay against 7 serovars of Leptospira interrogans. A total of 7% were positive with the following serovar distribution; shermani 53%, canicola 33%, pyrogens 20%, pomona 13% and icterohaemorrhagiae 6%. The highest frequency of seropositivity was found in the 20 year to 39 age group. These results in asymptomatic individuals show that leptospirosis is a frequent zoonosis in Mexico.