Clinical Study
Serological Evidence of Exposure to Leptospira spp. in Veterinary Students and Other University Students in Trinidad and Tobago
Table 1
Demographic data on students sampled for the study.
| | Factor | Number (%) of students sampled from FMS | |
School of veterinary medicine* | Other schools** | Total |
| | Year in program | | | | | 1 | 28 (24.8) | 19 (19.2) | 47 | | 2 | 32 (28.3) | 34 (34.3) | 66 | | 3 | 28 (24.8) | 22 (22.2) | 50 | | 4 | 14 (12.4) | 16 (16.2) | 30 | | 5 | 11 (9.7) | 6 (6.1) | 17 |
| | Age (years) | | | | | 18 | 2 (1.8) | 0 (0.0) | 2 | | 19 | 8 (7.1) | 2 (2.0) | 10 | | 20 | 18 (15.9) | 5 (5.1) | 23 | | 21 | 17 (15.0) | 7 (7.1) | 24 | | 22 | 13 (11.5) | 10 (10.1) | 23 | | 23 | 5 (4.4) | 9 (9.1) | 14 | | 24 | 5 (4.4) | 7 (7.1) | 12 | | 25 and over | 21 (18.6) | 58 (58.6) | 79 |
| | Gender | | | | | Male | 29 (25.7) | 28 (28.3) | 57 | | Female | 84 (74.3) | 71 (71.7) | 155 |
| | Residence | | | | | Hostel | 10 (8.8) | 12 (12.1) | 22 | | Apartment | 42 (37.2) | 30 (30.3) | 72 | | Home | 58 (51.3) | 55 (55.6) | 113 | | Home + apartment | 2 (1.8) | 1 (1.0) | 3 | | Others | 1 (0.9) | 1 (1.0) | 2 |
| | Diagnosis of leptospirosis | | | | | Yes | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 | | No | 113 (100) | 99 (100.0) | 212 |
| | Presence of pets | | | | | Yes | 91 (80.5) | 57 (57.6) | 148 | | No | 22 (19.5) | 42 (42.4) | 64 |
| | Type of pets | | | | | Home/pet | 57 (50.4) | 30 (30.3) | 87 | | Guard only | 7 (6.2) | 8 (8.1) | 15 | | Pet and guard | 17 (15.0) | 15 (15.2) | 32 |
| | Contact with pet | | | | | Low | 23 (20.4) | 55 (55.6) | 78 | | Medium | 31 (27.4) | 25 (25.3) | 56 | | High | 53 (46.9) | 11 (11.1) | 64 | | Not applicable | 6 (5.3) | 7 (7.1) | 13 |
| | Contact with livestock | | | | | Low | 6 (5.3) | 1 (1.0) | 7 | | Medium | 16 (14.2) | 1 (1.0) | 17 | | High | 13 (11.5) | 0 (0.0) | 13 | | Not applicable | 78 (69.0) | 0 (0.0) | 78 |
| | Recent diagnosis in pets | | | | | Yes | 2 (1.8) | 1 (1.0) | 3 | | No | 111 (98.2) | 98 (99.0) | 209 |
| | Rodent problem | | | | | Yes | 54 (47.8) | 29 (29.3) | 83 | | No | 59 (52.2) | 70 (70.7) | 129 |
| | Farming | | | | | Yes | 12 (10.6) | 2 (2.0) | 14 | | No | 101 (89.4) | 97 (98.0) | 198 |
| | Type of farming | | | | | Livestock | 11 (9.7) | 2 (2.0) | 13 | | Rice sugar | 1 (0.9) | 0 (0.0) | 1 |
| | Pet rodent | | | | | Yes | 5 (4.4) | 2 (2.0) | 7 | | No | 98 (86.7) | 97 (98.0) | 195 |
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*Based on 113 students.
**A total of 99 participants comprising 46 dental, 39 nursing, and 14 pharmacy students.
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