{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T10:07:52Z","timestamp":1772359672396,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,21]],"date-time":"2024-06-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718928000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"German Federal Ministry of Education and Research","award":["01KI1721D"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01KI1721D"]}]},{"name":"German Federal Ministry of Education and Research","award":["01KI2004D"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01KI2004D"]}]},{"name":"German Federal Ministry of Education and Research","award":["01KI1721B"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01KI1721B"]}]},{"name":"German Federal Ministry of Education and Research","award":["01KI1721A"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01KI1721A"]}]},{"name":"German Federal Ministry of Education and Research","award":["01KI2004A"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01KI2004A"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>As leptospirosis is re-emerging, a seroprevalence study was conducted, assessing the prevalence of anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies and infection-associated risk factors among forestry workers (FWs) in Lower Saxony, Germany, to develop targeted public health measures. Sera of 877 FWs, sampled in 2016, were tested for anti-Leptospira seropositivity by commercial IgG-ELISA. Data on demographics and Leptospira-specific exposures, knowledge, sources of information, and preventive measures were collected by standardized, self-administered questionnaire. A subset of 244 sera was retested via in-house IgG-ELISA. Risk factors were assessed from the subset using multivariable logistic regression analysis. The commercial IgG-ELISA revealed a seroprevalence of 4.8% (95% confidence interval CI95 = 3.5\u20136.4). Of the 601 FWs who completed the questionnaire, 67.9% had been informed about leptospirosis and Leptospira spp., mainly by employers (55.2%) and peers (38.9%). Positive associations with seropositivity were observed for canoeing (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.35, p = 0.044), touching rodents (aOR = 2.4, p = 0.021), and living close to beech trees (aOR = 2.18, p = 0.075). Frequently cleaning animal stables was negatively associated (aOR = 0.20, p = 0.002). The unexpected positive association with wearing gloves when handling plants and soil (aOR = 2.16, p = 0.011) needs further discussion. Overall, seroprevalence was in the range of other studies in Germany. The identified factors will be used to develop targeted information reaching out to at-risk groups tapping various communication channels.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms12071262","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,21]],"date-time":"2024-06-21T08:50:08Z","timestamp":1718959808000},"page":"1262","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Anti-Leptospira Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors among Forestry Workers in Lower Saxony, North-West Germany"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Christiane M.","family":"Klier","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Christina","family":"Princk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8649-5248","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martin H.","family":"Richter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, 10589 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Enno","family":"Luge","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, 10589 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anne","family":"Mayer-Scholl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, 10589 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maren","family":"Mylius","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3194-068X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kristin Maria","family":"Meyer-Schlinkmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sophie","family":"Rettenbacher-Riefler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Masyar","family":"Monazahian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Armin","family":"Baillot","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5620-1528","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rainer G.","family":"Ulrich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3382-495X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes","family":"Dreesman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Agency of Lower Saxony, 30449 Hannover, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2009.03.012","article-title":"Leptospira and leptospirosis","volume":"140","author":"Adler","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. 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