Mapping Leptospirosis Dynamics: Integrating Environmental and Cellular Perspectives for One Health Understanding

Leptospirosis, a globally relevant zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira interrogans, serves as a classic model for understanding the dynamics of one health disease. Its incidence prevalence reflects the relationship between human-animal-environmental interactions, with cases now transcending socioeconomic boundaries. This poses a multifaceted public health challenge, particularly along the densely populated East Coast of the United States with 100 to 150 cases reported annually. We hypothesize that understanding the spatial distribution of leptospirosis cases on the East Coast, particularly their association with flooding events, will shed light on the disease’s transmission dynamics. Using epidemiological data obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance (DHIS), and the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), we explore the correlation between leptospirosis cases, population density, climate-induced sea level rise flooding. Advanced geographic information systems (GIS) are employed to pinpoint high-risk areas and vulnerabilities, enabling tailored interventions for both urban and rural populations. In addition to examining the epidemiology of Leptospirosis, this project also investigated a molecular mechanism of pathogenesis. Leptospira cell membranes contain lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a molecule which has been shown to help them evade detection by the host immune system. We examined LPS effects on Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells to see the cellular responses and possible susceptibility factors relevant to renal pathology in leptospirosis.