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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Leptospira Seroprevalence in Bardigiano Horses in Northern I...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 10(1); 23; doi: 10.3390/ani10010023

Leptospira Seroprevalence in Bardigiano Horses in Northern Italy.

Abstract: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Bardigiano horses in the Province of Parma, Northern Italy, to assess the seroprevalence of spp. and to investigate risk factors associated with the infection. A representative sample of 134 horses from 43 farms was selected by stratified systematic randomization. Blood sera were examined by MAT for the presence of antibodies against seven serovars. Ninety animals (67.2%; 95% Confidence Interval 63.2-71.1) and 41 farms (95.3%; 95% CI 92.2-98.5%) were found positive to at least one of the serovars. The most frequently detected reactions were against serovar Bratislava (41.8%), followed by Canicola (36.6%), Tarassovi (28.4%), Copenhageni (17.9%), Pomona (10.4%) and Hardjo (2.2%). None of the sera reacted against serovar Grippothyphosa. Forty-eight horses (53.3% of the seropositives) were positive for more than one serovar and 21 (15.7% of the seropositives) had serum titres ≥ 1000. Bratislava was the serovar providing the highest antibody titres. Prevalence was significantly higher between adult horses and in farms lacking rodent control ( = 0.006 and = 0.025, respectively). No significant gender or housing-related difference in seroprevalence was found. The anamnestic data suggest that the infection in Bardigiano horses is subclinical in most of the cases. The high seroprevalence indicates that Bardigiano horses living in the investigated area are at high risk of exposure and infection by spp.
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Publication Date: 2019-12-20 PubMed ID: 31877658PubMed Central: PMC7022626DOI: 10.3390/ani10010023Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study examines the presence of Leptospira infection in Bardigiano horses in Northern Italy, revealing a high infection prevalence with a major proportion of infected horses being asymptomatic, primarily fueled by lack of rodent control and adulthood.

Sampling Method and Serological Tests

  • The researchers used a representative sample of 134 horses from 43 farms to study the prevalence of Leptospira infection; the selection was done through stratified systematic randomization. This type of sampling ensures that the selected horses accurately represent the diverse attributes within the population.
  • Blood samples were tested for antibodies against seven Leptospira serovars using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). This test detects and measures the presence and level of antibodies produced as a response to a Leptospira infection in the horse’s body.

Seroprevalence Results

  • From the tested horses, 67.2% were found to have been infected by at least one of the serovars. This high percentage suggests that the horses in the given region are at a high risk of Leptospira infection.
  • The most frequently detected reactions were against serovar Bratislava (41.8%), followed by Canicola, Tarassovi, Copenhageni, Pomona, and Hardjo. None of the tested sera reacted against serovar Grippothyphosa.
  • Forty-eight horses (53.3% of the seropositives) tested positive for more than one serovar, indicating potential exposure to multiple strains of the bacteria. Furthermore, 21 horses (15.7% of the seropositives) demonstrated a high serum titre (≥ 1000) – a measure of the highest dilution of serum in which the antibody still causes agglutination. These high titres are indicative of an active or recent infection.

Risk Factors

  • The study also found a significantly higher prevalence of infection in adult horses as compared to their younger counterparts.
  • Farms that failed to control rodent populations were associated with a higher prevalence of infection. This is likely due to the fact that rodents act as carriers for Leptospira, facilitating their transmission to horses. There was no observable link between horse gender or housing conditions and infection rates.

Conclusions

  • Despite the high seroprevalence, most infections appear to be subclinical, meaning the horses do not exhibit noticeable symptoms.
  • The findings underscore the need for effective rodent control strategies as well as targeted vaccination to reduce the risk of infection, especially among adult horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Vera E, Taddei S, Cavirani S, Schiavi J, Angelone M, Cabassi CS, Schiano E, Quintavalla F. (2019). Leptospira Seroprevalence in Bardigiano Horses in Northern Italy. Animals (Basel), 10(1), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10010023

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 1
PII: 23

Researcher Affiliations

Vera, Elena
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Taddei, Simone
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Cavirani, Sandro
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Schiavi, Jennifer
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Angelone, Mario
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Cabassi, Clotilde S
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Schiano, Emiliana
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.
Quintavalla, Fausto
  • Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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