Circulating serovars of Leptospira in cart horses of central and southern Ethiopia and associated risk factors.

The research article investigates the prevalence and contributing factors to the disease Leptospirosis in cart horses in Ethiopia. It highlights that age, location, and the water source for these horses contribute to disease susceptibility, and that the serovar Bratislava is predominant in the horse population.

Study Overview and Methodology

• The research involved a serological and questionnaire survey to determine the circulating serovars (different variations) of Leptospira (the bacteria causing Leptospirosis) in the cart horse population in Central and Southern Ethiopia.
• The investigation encompassed 418 cart horses from 13 districts and identified which horses had antibody titres of 1:100 or more to at least one of the 16 analysed serovars of Leptospira species.

Research Findings

• The study found that 184 of the 418 horses showed signs of exposure to Leptospira.
• The majority of these horses belonged to highland areas, followed by midland, and then lowland regions.
• The most common serovar identified was Bratislava, followed by Djasiman, Topaz, and Pomona.
• Elder horses were more likely to be affected, with the districts of Ziway, Shashemene, and Sebeta having the highest prevalence of Leptospira seropositivity.

Risk Factors Associated

• Factors associated with horses testing positive for Leptospira were their water source and age.
• Horses that drank river water were nearly three times more likely to be infected.
• Horses between 7 and 12 years old were more prone to disease.
• Dogs in the neighbouring properties had a protective effect against horses testing positive for serovars Bratislava and Djasiman. The researchers suggest this could be due to dogs’ ability to control rodent populations, which are common carriers of Leptospira.

Implications of the Research

• The research confirms that leptospirosis is widespread among horses in Central and Southern Ethiopia with Bratislava as the predominant serovar.
• The study suggests Bratislava may be specifically adapted to the horse population in these regions.
• The authors propose further country-wide surveys and isolation of circulating leptospires in animals and humans. This would help understand the disease’s role in the broader epidemiological context and potentially inform future control and prevention strategies.