China review links human and canine leptospirosis surveillance

A new systematic review and meta-analysis in Preventive Veterinary Medicine pulls together the available evidence on human and canine leptospirosis in China, aiming to map prevalence patterns and associated risk factors across both species. The paper is framed as a One Health analysis, reflecting the shared environmental exposure of people and dogs to pathogenic Leptospira and the need to interpret canine infection alongside human disease trends. The authors report that they searched six databases through November 11, 2025, using a PRISMA-compliant approach to synthesize cross-sectional epidemiology data from China. Broader recent literature shows leptospirosis remains a notifiable zoonosis in China, with human cases still shaped by rainfall, flooding, geography, and animal reservoirs, even as the national epidemiology has shifted over time. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the value of this paper is less about a single practice-changing number and more about surveillance context. Dogs can function as both clinical patients and sentinels for shared environmental risk, especially in areas with high rainfall, standing water, rodent exposure, or flood-related disruption. That matters for differential diagnosis, vaccination discussions, exposure histories, and public health coordination, particularly because recent One Health reviews have highlighted the need for integrated human, animal, and environmental surveillance for leptospirosis rather than siloed reporting. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: Watch for the full paper’s prevalence estimates and subgroup findings to be cited in future Chinese surveillance work, regional risk mapping, and One Health prevention planning. (idpjournal.biomedcentral.com)