A review of leptospirosis in farm animals in Portugal.
Abstract: This paper presents a review of Leptospira infection in farm animals in Portugal which is based mainly on serological results obtained in the National Veterinary Research Laboratory between January 1987 and December 1993. Serum samples were tested by the microscopic agglutination test, at a minimum dilution of 1:100. Positive titres were obtained in 15.3% of the 9,543 bovine samples examined. Sejroe, Pomona, Hebdomadis, Tarassovi and Icterohaemorrhagiae were the principal serogroups which reacted in the tests. A total of 3,195 pigs were tested, of which 20.2% showed positive reactions. The main serogroups which reacted were Australis, Pomona, Cynopteri, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Autumnalis. Field observations on outbreaks of leptospirosis in pigs, along with data obtained from an experimental infection with serovar mozdok in pregnant gilts suggest that this serovar, rather than serovar pomona, may be causing Pomona group infections in pigs. Serum samples from 5,298 sheep were tested and 3.3% gave positive results. The predominant serogroups involved were Canicola, Pomona, Cynopteri, Sejroe and Icterohaemorrhagiae. From the 1,631 goats examined serologically, 5.0% gave positive results, mainly to serogroups Grippotyphosa, Canicola, Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pyrogenes. Only 83 serum samples from horses were obtained, of which 43.4% showed positive titres. Serogroups Australis, Autumnalis, Cynopteri and Pyrogenes were those most commonly found. Serological evidence of leptospirosis in farm animals is widespread in Portugal, particularly in cattle and pigs. Leptospirosis in horses needs to be studied further. In an attempt to provide a general view on the occurrence of leptospirosis in these animal species in Portugal, the present results are compared with results obtained in previous studies and are complemented with both previous and recent bacteriological findings.
Publication Date: 1998-12-16 PubMed ID: 9850541DOI: 10.20506/rst.17.3.1128Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article is a detailed review of Leptospirosis infections in various farm animals in Portugal, based on serological results obtained between 1987 and 1993.
Overview of Research
- The main focus of this research revolves around the infection of Leptospira, a bacteria causing a disease known as Leptospirosis, in the farm animals of Portugal. This study is based on the serological results that are obtained between the time frame of January 1987 and December 1993 at the National Veterinary Research Laboratory.
- The study was conducted mainly using the microscopic agglutination test which is a standard test for leptospiral antibodies. Any serum sample showing a reaction at a dilution of 1:100 was considered as a positive result.
Detailed Findings
- A total of 9,543 bovine samples were examined out of which 15.3% showed positive results. The primary serogroups which showed reactions were Sejroe, Pomona, Hebdomadis, Tarassovi, and Icterohaemorrhagiae.
- From 3,195 pig samples, 20.2% showed positive reactions with the most common serogroups being Australis, Pomona, Cynopteri, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Autumnalis. However, the data also suggest that serovar mozdok, as opposed to serovar pomona, might be causing Pomona group infections in pigs.
- In the case of 5,298 sheep samples, 3.3% were positive with the critical serogroups being Canicola, Pomona, Cynopteri, Sejroe, and Icterohaemorrhagiae.
- For the 1,631 goats examined, 5.0% were positive mainly to the serogroups Grippotyphosa, Canicola, Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pyrogenes.
- Out of 83 horse serum samples, a whopping 43.4% showed positive reactions. The serogroups Australis, Autumnalis, Cynopteri, and Pyrogenes were those most commonly found in horses. Hence, leptospirosis in horses needs to be studied further.
Conclusion
- Based on the research findings, the evidence of leptospirosis in farm animals is widespread in Portugal, with particular prevalence in cattle and pigs.
- This study provides a generalized view on the frequency of the occurrence of leptospirosis in these animal species in Portugal. The results are compared with previous similar studies and also supplemented with both old and new bacteriological findings to maintain thoroughness and relevance.
Cite This Article
APA
Rocha T.
(1998).
A review of leptospirosis in farm animals in Portugal.
Rev Sci Tech, 17(3), 699-712.
https://doi.org/10.20506/rst.17.3.1128 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Bacteriology Department, Laboratório Nacional de Investigação Veterinária, Lisbon, Portugal.
MeSH Terms
- Agglutination Tests / veterinary
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
- Goat Diseases / epidemiology
- Goats
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Leptospira / immunology
- Leptospirosis / epidemiology
- Leptospirosis / veterinary
- Portugal / epidemiology
- Retrospective Studies
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Sheep
- Sheep Diseases / epidemiology
- Swine
- Swine Diseases / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Paixão G, Botelho-Fontela S, Gandra F, Reis J. Acute Leptospirosis Outbreak in Cattle: A Case Report. Vet Med Sci 2025 Mar;11(2):e70206.
- Balboni A, D'Incau M, Zamagni S, Lucchese L, Mazzotta E, Marchione S, Battilani M, Natale A. Identification of the most effective serovars to be included in the MAT antigen panel to optimize the serodiagnosis of Leptospira infection in Northern Italy. Vet Res Commun 2023 Dec;47(4):2185-2192.
- Cruz-Romero A, Alvarado-Esquivel C, Romero-Salas D, Alvarado-Félix ÁO, Sánchez-Montes S, Hernández-Tinoco J, Sánchez-Anguiano LF. Seroepidemiology of Leptospira Infection in Backyard Pigs in Durango State, Mexico. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2018 Sep 28;8(3):87-90.
- Mori M, Bakinahe R, Vannoorenberghe P, Maris J, de Jong E, Tignon M, Marin M, Desqueper D, Fretin D, Behaeghel I. Reproductive Disorders and Leptospirosis: A Case Study in a Mixed-Species Farm (Cattle and Swine). Vet Sci 2017 Dec 1;4(4).
- Ferreira AS, Costa P, Rocha T, Amaro A, Vieira ML, Ahmed A, Thompson G, Hartskeerl RA, Inácio J. Direct detection and differentiation of pathogenic Leptospira species using a multi-gene targeted real time PCR approach. PLoS One 2014;9(11):e112312.
- Salgado M, Otto B, Sandoval E, Reinhardt G, Boqvist S. A cross sectional observational study to estimate herd level risk factors for Leptospira spp. serovars in small holder dairy cattle farms in southern Chile. BMC Vet Res 2014 Jun 6;10:126.
- Felt SA, Wasfy MO, El-Tras WF, Samir A, Rahaman BA, Boshra M, Parker TM, Hatem ME, El-Bassiouny AA, Murray CK, Pimentel G. Cross-species surveillance of Leptospira in domestic and peri-domestic animals in Mahalla City, Gharbeya Governorate, Egypt. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011 Mar;84(3):420-5.
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