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Topic:Leptospira
Leptospira is a genus of spirochete bacteria that can infect horses, leading to a range of health issues. These bacteria are responsible for leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease that can affect multiple animal species, including humans. In horses, leptospirosis can result in conditions such as uveitis, abortion, and renal disease. The transmission of Leptospira occurs through direct or indirect contact with contaminated water, soil, or the urine of infected animals. Diagnosis of leptospirosis in horses involves serological testing and detection of the bacteria in bodily fluids. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of leptospirosis in equine populations.
Genomic characterization and comparative analysis of Leptospira kirschneri serogroup Grippotyphosa UC5/2011, a strain isolated after mare abortion: Implications for genital animal leptospirosis. The genome of a Brazilian strain of Leptospira kirschneri serogroup Grippotyphosa isolated from a mare post-abortion was sequenced and analyzed. High symmetrical identity and few structural differences were found when compared with a European strain of the same serogroup, L. kirschneri serovar Valbuzzi strain 200702274. Genes associated with virulence and antimicrobial resistance were found. Knowledge of the virulence evolution of Leptospira remains limited, especially in diseases of the reproductive sphere. We highlight the importance of virulence studies in the sphere of genital leptospirosi...
Leptospirosis: An important infectious disease in North American horses. North American horses are commonly exposed to Leptospira organisms. Leptospira Bratislava is the most common infecting serovar but this serovar has not been confirmed to cause clinical disease in North American horses. Leptospira Pomona type kennewicki is responsible for most of the clinical diseases (leptospirosis) in North American horses. Leptospirosis is most commonly associated with diseases of the placenta and fetus, the kidneys and the eyes in horses. In-utero infections in pregnant mares may result in abortion, neonatal illness or birth of an antibody positive healthy foal. Acute renal...
Intravitreal injection of low-dose gentamicin for the treatment of recurrent or persistent uveitis in horses: Preliminary results. Despite appropriate medical therapy, many horses with equine recurrent uveitis continue to suffer from recurrent bouts of inflammation. Surgical intervention via the pars plana vitrectomy or suprachoroidal cyclosporine implant placement may control and/or prevent recurrences, however, these procedures may be contraindicated, unavailable, or declined by an owner. Thus, an effective adjunctive treatment option may help to improve the clinical outcomes in those situations. There are several anecdotal reports on the use of intravitreal gentamicin injections, but to date, no data evaluating the com...
Seroprevalence, frequency of leptospiuria, and associated risk factors in horses in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska from 2016-2017. Leptospirosis is a worldwide veterinary and public health concern, and well recognized infectious disease of horses. Seroprevalence rates vary with geography, but many studies have confirmed a high exposure rate. The correlation between seropositivity and shedding status has not been made in horses, however. The aims of this study were to use semi-nested PCR on urine from apparently healthy horses to determine period prevalence of leptospiral shedding and to correlate these findings with MAT results to establish associations with client based survey data regarding horse management and environm...
Detection of intraocular Leptospira spp. by real-time polymerase chain reaction in horses with recurrent uveitis in Belgium. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) has been associated with Leptospira spp. infection. No information exists concerning the prevalence of Leptospira-associated ERU in Belgium and about the sensitivity of detection of Leptospira in different ocular media. Objective: To establish the prevalence of intraocular Leptospira spp. in ERU-affected and healthy eyes of horses examined at the Equine Clinic of the University of Liège by real-time PCR and to compare the results of the aqueous and vitreous humour of the same eye. Methods: Cross-sectional. Methods: Sixty-six eyes from 59 client-owned horses with...
Risk Factors Associated With Seroreactivity Against Leptospira sp. in Horses From Brazilian Amazon. This study investigated the risk factors associated with seroreactivity to Leptospira sp. in horses from Brazilian Amazon. Blood samples were collected and microscopic agglutination test was performed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted for association with risk factors. General seroprevalence was 32.7% and the most prevalent serogroup observed was Sejroe (5.9%). Seroreactivity was associated with age, sex, activity (work, leisure, or both), feed supplementation, trash accumulation, and presence of felines. Epidemiology of leptospirosis remains poorly understood in Amazon ...
Treatment of Hydropsical Conditions Using Transcervical Gradual Fetal Fluid Drainage in Mares With or Without Concurrent Abdominal Wall Disease. Hydropsical conditions are exceedingly rare in the horse. However, when they occur, they are true emergencies due to the severe enlargement of the pregnant uterus, which can result in clinical signs, such as an enlarged round abdomen, dyspnea, reluctance to walk, and colic, and may lead to the development of abdominal wall disease. The pathogenesis of hydropsical conditions is not fully elucidated, but they have been associated with placentitis and fetal abnormalities. This report describes six cases of hydropsical conditions in mares with or without concurrent abdominal wall disease. Five out...
Lipidomic analysis of immune activation in equine leptospirosis and Leptospira-vaccinated horses. Currently available diagnostic assays for leptospirosis cannot differentiate vaccine from infection serum antibody. Several leptospiral proteins that are upregulated during infection have been described, but their utility as a diagnostic marker is still unclear. In this study, we undertook a lipidomics approach to determine if there are any differences in the serum lipid profiles of horses naturally infected with pathogenic Leptospira spp. and horses vaccinated against a commercially available bacterin. Utilizing a high-resolution mass spectrometry serum lipidomics analytical platform, we demo...
Detection of anti-Leptospira inhibitory antibodies in horses after vaccination. Leptospirosis is a relevant zoonosis that affects the reproductive performance of livestock, impairing the economy. Few studies have demonstrated the effects of vaccination against leptospirosis on naturally exposed horses. This study aimed to detect anti-Leptospira inhibitory antibodies in horses after vaccination. A total of 54 mares were studied using Growth Inhibition Test (GIT) in three moments. The present results demonstrate the usefulness of GIT for confirming inhibitory effects of specific antibody production. Results have also demonstrated that vaccination positively influenced on th...
The role of Leptospira spp. in horses affected with recurrent uveitis in the UK. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a common cause of ocular pain and blindness in horses. Leptospira spp. have been commonly implicated in the pathophysiology of ERU in mainland Europe and the USA. No recent studies have been carried out in the UK, but Leptospira is reported not to be a major factor in the aetiology of ERU in the UK. Objective: To establish the prevalence of Leptospira-associated ERU in the UK and to identify the serovars involved in these cases; to compare serum vs. aqueous humour antibody levels in cases and controls in order to confirm the diagnosis of Leptospira-associated ...
A systematic review of leptospirosis on dogs, pigs, and horses in Latin America. Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis which can affect many species. Control programs need accurate diagnosis to be successful, and currently, diagnosis relies on serology. It presents three main issues: the sampling, the antigen panel, and the cutoff point. Herein, we propose a systematic review on leptospirosis among dogs, pigs, and horses in Latin America in order to improve the understanding of the seroepidemiology of leptospirosis in these species in the region as well as the temporal development of the research on this topic and, consequently, improve the chances of success on control pr...
Cytokine and chemokine profiles of aqueous humor and serum in horses with uveitis measured using multiplex bead immunoassay analysis. To determine whether horses with clinically diagnosed Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) and those with Leptospirosis infection have a specific cytokine profile in their aqueous humor (AH) and serum that differs from horses with uveitis secondary to other ocular inflammatory processes and from horses with normal eyes. Methods: Twenty-five client-owned horses with uveitis that were presented to the North Carolina State University Ophthalmology Service, and four University-owned horses without history or clinical signs of ocular disease. Methods: Samples of AH and serum were obtained from horses wit...
A study of leptospirosis in South African horses and associated risk factors. Most leptospiral infections in horses are asymptomatic; however, acute disease manifestations as well as reproductive failure and recurrent uveitis have been reported. In South Africa, the epidemiology of the disease in horses is not well documented. A serosurvey to determine what serovars were present in horses from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape Provinces and to get an estimate of the seroprevalence of leptospirosis was carried out from January 2013 until April 2014 with the assistance of four large equine hospitals located in these provinces. Furthermore, associations between poten...
Preliminary evaluation of a dual antigen ELISA to distinguish vaccinated from Leptospira infected horses. Immunogenic proteins of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona type kennewicki (Lk) including Sph1, LigA, Hsp15 and LipL45 (Qlp42) are up-regulated in infected horses but are undetectable or expressed in trace amounts on cultured organisms. In contrast, LipL32 is abundant on cultured Lk and elicits infection antibody responses. The aim of this study was to develop an ELISA based on LipL32 or Lk sonicate and host-induced proteins to differentiate vaccine from infection serum antibody. IgG specific for recombinant Sph1, LigA, Lk90 (LigA; 379-1225 a.a), Hsp15, LipL45 and LipL32 of Lk were assayed ...
Serological surveillance of Leptospirosis in Italy: two‑year national data (2010‑2011). Nowadays, leptospirosis is a re‑emerging widespread infectious disease often underestimate worldwide. The National Reference Centre for Leptospirosis (NRCL), at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Brescia (Italy), with the cooperation of all the other Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (IIZZSS), evaluated the distribution of such important zoonosis in Italy. Serological data obtained between 2010‑2011 by each laboratory were collected by the NRCL and discussed. Serum samples collected from 43,935 animal specimens were analysed by the Microsco...
[Detection of leptospira by culture of vitreous humor and detection of antibodies against leptospira in vitreous humor and serum of 225 horses with equine recurrent uveitis]. In the ongoing discussion regarding the aetiopathogenesis of equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) it was the aim of the present study to elucidate the relationship of leptospira infection and ERU. In a population of 225 horses leptospira were examined in vitreous humor by culture and leptospira antibody were detected in vitreous humor and serum samples. Preoperative serum samples were collected from 221/225 ERU patients of different age, gender and breed. Undiluted vitreous humor was aseptically taken from 198/225 patients that underwent pars plana vitrectomy at the beginning of surgery and from 27/...
[Occurrance of antibodies against Leptospira in horses in Middle Germany]. Aim of the study was to detect antibodies and potential risk factors for an infec- tion with Leptospira in horses in Middle Germany. Serum samples of 314 horses were examined retrospectively by microscopic agglutination test for the presence of antibodies against eight Leptospira serovars. In total, 17.2% (n = 54) of the horses were positive for one or more of the serovars analyzed. The most prevalent serovar was lcterohaemorrhagiae (11.1%), followed by serovar Bratislava (9.6 %) and Grippotyphosa (1.9%). Mares showed a significantly higher occurrence of antibodies (p < 0.05) than geldings ...
Circulating serovars of Leptospira in cart horses of central and southern Ethiopia and associated risk factors. Little work has been done on diseases of horses in Ethiopia or tropical regions of the world. Yet, Ethiopia has the largest horse population in Africa and their horses play a pivotal role in their economy as traction animals. A serological and questionnaire survey was therefore conducted to determine the circulating serovars of Leptospira and their association with potential risk factors in the cart horse population of Central and Southern Ethiopia. A total of 184 out of 418 cart horses from 13 districts had antibody titres of 1:100 or greater to at least one of 16 serovars of Leptospira speci...
Leptospirosis in domestic animals in France: serological results from 1988 to 2007. Leptospirosis is a common infection in domestic animals. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is used for serological diagnosis. From 1988 to 2007, the Leptospira Medical and Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory at the Nantes National College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering used the MAT to test serum samples from more than 40,000 cattle, 40,000 pigs, 20,000 horses and 9,500 dogs. Five Leptospira serogroups were prominent, with specific variations within the four animal species: Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis, Sejroë, Grippotyphosa and Autumnalis. The prevalence and incid...
Multiple specificities of immunoglobulin M in equine fetuses infected with Leptospira interrogans indicate a competent immune response. Foals of mares infected with Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona type kennewicki (Lk) may be aborted/stillborn or delivered as healthy foals. Is fetal survival explained in part by the immune response of the fetus to Leptospira antigens? Objective: To describe an outbreak of Leptospira abortion in which infected mares delivered dead/sick or normal foals and determine specificities of antibody in a collection of 54 fetuses from similar outbreaks. Methods: Outbreak investigation in combination with a case-control study of a larger set of samples from aborted fetuses. Methods: Serology and poly...
Multiple etiologies of equine recurrent uveitis–A natural model for human autoimmune uveitis: A brief review. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) has various etiologies, with Leptospira infection and genetic predisposition being the leading risk factors. Regardless of etiology, expression of ocular proteins associated with maintenance of the blood-ocular barrier is impaired in ERU. The recurring-remitting cycle of ERU repeatedly disrupts the blood-ocular barrier, allowing the previously immune-privileged ocular environment to become the site of a progressive local autoimmune pathology that ultimately results in tissue destruction and vision loss. The immune-mediated process involves humoral and cellular me...
Molecular Characterization and Serology of Leptospira kirschneri (Serogroup Grippotyphosa) Isolated from Urine of a Mare Post-Abortion in Brazil. A strain of Leptospira kirschneri (serogroup Grippotyphosa) was cultured from urine of a mare post-abortion in Brazil and characterized by serogrouping, multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis, PGFE, and sequencing of genes rrs and secY. Strains of L. kirschneri have apparently never been recovered from horses in tropical area, only in Europe and USA. Knowledge of local epidemiology is important to interpret genetic profiles of leptospires circulating in an area.
Presence of leptospires on genital tract of mares with reproductive problems. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance, and has a worldwide distribution. Equine leptospirosis is commonly manifested by recurrent uveitis, reproductive disorders, as abortions, embryonic absorption, stillbirth and the birth of weak foals. The aim of this study was to verify the presence of Leptospira sp or its DNA in genital tract of mares with reproductive problems. A total of 38 mares with reproductive problems were studied. All the mares were sampled for blood (for serology), urine (for culturing and qPCR), vaginal fluid-VF and endometrial biopsy-EB (for culturing, qPCR a...
Prognosis and impact of equine recurrent uveitis. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a leading cause of vision loss in horses. Objective: To assess the prognosis and impact of ERU on affected horses and their owners by evaluating the signalment, treatment and outcome (including the loss of use, vision assessment and economic loss). Methods: Retrospective impact study. Methods: Medical records of horses presenting to the North Carolina State University Veterinary Health Complex (NCSU-VHC) with ERU between 1999 and 2014 were reviewed. Signalment, clinical signs, ophthalmic examination findings, treatments and outcomes were evaluated. Owner quest...
Molecular studies on European equine isolates of Leptospira interrogans serovars Bratislava and Muenchen. Strains of Leptospira interrogans belonging to two very closely related serovars – Bratislava and Muenchen – are known to cause widespread infection of the horse population in many parts of the world. Conventional serological typing of isolates has been unable to differentiate between wildlife, pig, dog and possibly horse maintained isolates and therefore has been unable to provide further insight into their diversity and the relationship between them. Twenty-one such European isolates of serovar Bratislava and Muenchen were examined by restriction endonuclease analysis and multiple-locus ...
Equine recurrent uveitis: Human and equine perspectives. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a spontaneous disease characterised by repeated episodes of intraocular inflammation. The epidemiology of ERU has not been fully elucidated, but the condition appears to be much more common in horses than is recurrent uveitis in humans, especially in certain breeds and geographical regions. Both humans and horses show a similarly altered immune response and a marked autoimmune response as the primary disease pathophysiology. However, an inciting cause is not always clear. Potential inciting factors in horses include microbial agents such as Leptospira spp. Mic...
Leptospirosis in animals and human contacts in Egypt: broad range surveillance. Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease of humans and animals worldwide. The disease is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. These organisms are maintained in nature via chronic renal infection of carrier animals, which excrete the organisms in their urine. Humans become infected through direct or indirect exposure to infected animals and their urine or through contact with contaminated water and soil. This study was conducted to investigate Leptospira infections as a re-emerging zoonosis that has been neglected in Egypt. Methods: Samples from 1,250 animals (270 rats, ...
Recombinant antigens rLipL21, rLoa22, rLipL32 and rLigACon4-8 for serological diagnosis of leptospirosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in dogs. Animal leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases in the United States and around the world. In a previous study, we applied four recombinant antigens, rLipL21, rLoa22, rLipL32 and rLigACon4-8 of Leptospira interrogans (L. interrogans) for the serological diagnosis of equine leptospirosis (Ye et al, Serodiagnosis of equine leptospirosis by ELISA using four recombinant protein markers, Clin. Vaccine. Immunol. 21:478-483). In this study, the same four recombinant antigens were evaluated for their potential to diagnose canine leptospirosis by ELISA. A total of 305 canine sera that ...
Serological and molecular survey of Leptospira spp. among cart horses from an endemic area of human leptospirosis in Curitiba, southern Brazil. Cart horses are a re-emerging population employed to carry recyclable material in cities. Methods: Sixty-two horses were sampled in an endemic area of human leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed. Results: A seropositivity of 75.8% with serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae in 80.8% of the horses was observed. Blood and urine were qPCR negative. MAT showed positive correlations with rainfall (p = 0.02) and flooding (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Although horses may be constantly exposed to Leptospira spp. in the environment mostly ...
