A serological survey of dogs, cats and horses in south-eastern Australia for leptospiral antibodies.
Abstract: No abstract available
Publication Date: 1993-10-01 PubMed ID: 8257320DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1993.tb00823.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study investigates the prevalence of Leptospira, a bacterium that causes leptospirosis, in domestic animals like dogs, cats, and horses in southeastern Australia. The research aims to understand the threat these animals might pose in transmitting the disease to humans, and whether it’s necessary to vaccinate dogs against this bacterium.
About Leptospirosis and the Study
- Leptospirosis is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans
- This bacterium affects domestic animals, wildlife, and humans globally.
- Specific variants (serovars) of this bacterium tend to be regional.
- The study aimed to investigate the current prevalence of various serovars in dogs, cats, and horses in southeastern Australia.
- This is important to assess their potential as zoonotic reservoirs, meaning they might be capable of spreading infections to humans.
- The study also aimed to determine whether the prevalence of the disease in dogs warranted vaccination.
Methodology
- The researchers obtained serum from 501 dogs, 59 cats, and 168 horses between 1988 and 1990 from a veterinary teaching hospital and other veterinary hospitals.
- They used the microscopic agglutination test, screening all sera initially against 8 representative serovars.
- Specimens showing positive reaction at the initial dilution were further diluted, and end-point titres were determined against all reacting serovars.
- All titres of 50 or greater were considered indicative of previous leptospiral infection.
Findings and Importance
- Out of the 728 sera tested, 107 (14.7%) had titres of 50 or greater against one or more serovars, providing evidence of past exposure to leptospirosis.
- It was found that 16.9% of sera from cats, 9.8% from dogs, and 28.6% from horses showed serological evidence of past exposure to Leptospira, indicating that this bacterium is fairly common among these animals.
- These findings are significant not only to understand the threat these domestic animals might pose as zoonotic reservoirs, but also in determining whether the prevalence of the disease in dogs warrants vaccination.
Cite This Article
APA
Dickeson D, Love DN.
(1993).
A serological survey of dogs, cats and horses in south-eastern Australia for leptospiral antibodies.
Aust Vet J, 70(10), 389-390.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1993.tb00823.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Clinical Pathology & Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Cat Diseases / epidemiology
- Cats
- Cross Reactions
- Dog Diseases / epidemiology
- Dogs
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Leptospira / immunology
- Leptospirosis / epidemiology
- Leptospirosis / veterinary
- New South Wales / epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Victoria / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Jost HE, Henriksen ML, Hawley J, Lappin MR. Evaluation of Leptospira species as a cause of endogenous uveitis in cats: a pilot study. J Feline Med Surg 2026 Feb;28(2):1098612X251409537.
- Andityas M, Nuraini DM, Sota P, Loong SK, Sripa B, Sukon P, Tangkawattana P, Tangkawattana S. Feline leptospirosis prevalence worldwide: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic approaches. Vet World 2024 Feb;17(2):255-272.
- Sebastian JF, Reagan KL, Peavy T, Zecca IB, Hamer SA, Sykes JE. Evaluation of Leptospira infection and exposure in free-roaming cat populations in northern California and southern Texas. J Feline Med Surg 2023 Mar;25(3):1098612X231162471.
- Gong J, Griebsch C, Kirkwood N, Norris JM, Ward MP. Emerging canine leptospirosis in Sydney and the role of population demographics. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022 Sep;69(5):e2485-e2494.
- Sykes JE, Reagan KL, Nally JE, Galloway RL, Haake DA. Role of Diagnostics in Epidemiology, Management, Surveillance, and Control of Leptospirosis. Pathogens 2022 Mar 24;11(4).
- Macleay CM, Carrick J, Shearer P, Begg A, Stewart M, Heller J, Chicken C, Brookes VJ. A Scoping Review of the Global Distribution of Causes and Syndromes Associated with Mid- to Late-Term Pregnancy Loss in Horses between 1960 and 2020. Vet Sci 2022 Apr 13;9(4).
- Griebsch C, Kirkwood N, Ward MP, So W, Weerakoon L, Donahoe S, Norris JM. Emerging leptospirosis in urban Sydney dogs: a case series (2017-2020). Aust Vet J 2022 May;100(5):190-200.
- Orr B, Westman ME, Malik R, Purdie A, Craig SB, Norris JM. Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease of pig-hunting dogs and humans in North Queensland. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022 Jan;16(1):e0010100.
- Bourassi E, Savidge C, Foley P, Hartwig S. Serologic and urinary survey of exposure to Leptospira species in a feral cat population of Prince Edward Island, Canada. J Feline Med Surg 2021 Dec;23(12):1155-1161.
- Bolwell CF, Rogers CW, Benschop J, Collins-Emerson JM, Adams B, Scarfe KR, Gee EK. Seroprevalence of Leptospira in Racehorses and Broodmares in New Zealand. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 23;10(11).
- Akter R, Legione A, Sansom FM, El-Hage CM, Hartley CA, Gilkerson JR, Devlin JM. Detection of Coxiella burnetii and equine herpesvirus 1, but not Leptospira spp. or Toxoplasma gondii, in cases of equine abortion in Australia - a 25 year retrospective study. PLoS One 2020;15(5):e0233100.
- Alashraf AR, Lau SF, Khairani-Bejo S, Khor KH, Ajat M, Radzi R, Roslan MA, Abdul Rahman MS. First report of pathogenic Leptospira spp. isolated from urine and kidneys of naturally infected cats. PLoS One 2020;15(3):e0230048.
- Spangler D, Kish D, Beigel B, Morgan J, Gruszynski K, Naikare H, Nahar VK, Coarsey MD, Verma A. Leptospiral shedding and seropositivity in shelter dogs in the Cumberland Gap Region of Southeastern Appalachia. PLoS One 2020;15(1):e0228038.
- Zaidi S, Bouam A, Bessas A, Hezil D, Ghaoui H, Ait-Oudhia K, Drancourt M, Bitam I. Urinary shedding of pathogenic Leptospira in stray dogs and cats, Algiers: A prospective study. PLoS One 2018;13(5):e0197068.
- Talebkhan Garoussi M, Mehravaran M, Abdollahpour G, Khoshnegah J. Seroprevalence of leptospiral infection in feline population in urban and dairy cattle herds in Mashhad, Iran. Vet Res Forum 2015 Fall;6(4):301-4.
- Shropshire SB, Veir JK, Morris AK, Lappin MR. Evaluation of the Leptospira species microscopic agglutination test in experimentally vaccinated cats and Leptospira species seropositivity in aged azotemic client-owned cats. J Feline Med Surg 2016 Oct;18(10):768-72.
- Rodriguez J, Blais MC, Lapointe C, Arsenault J, Carioto L, Harel J. Serologic and urinary PCR survey of leptospirosis in healthy cats and in cats with kidney disease. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Mar-Apr;28(2):284-93.
- Hartmann K, Egberink H, Pennisi MG, Lloret A, Addie D, Belák S, Boucraut-Baralon C, Frymus T, Gruffydd-Jones T, Hosie MJ, Lutz H, Marsilio F, Möstl K, Radford AD, Thiry E, Truyen U, Horzinek MC. Leptospira species infection in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management. J Feline Med Surg 2013 Jul;15(7):576-81.
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