Although epidemics occurred exclusively in ricecultivating
regions of Northeast Brazil (Lima et al., 1996;
Suassuna et al., 1986), as in this study site, we did not
identify specific work-related risk factors. These findings
suggest that exposure to Leptospira may be ubiquitous.
In the study community there was a large number of
livestock and domestic and wild rodent animal species
that could have served as reservoirs for transmission. We
did not identify exposures to specific reservoirs that were
associated with the risk for prior Leptospira infection. Of
note, rice fields were infested with Oligoryzomys nigripes
(I. Duarte, unpublished data), the ‘red rat’, which may be a
potential carrier of pathogenic Leptospira. However, other
wild and domestic rats may potentially serve as reservoirs
that were not reported by study subjects.