Leptospira seroprevalence in dogs, cats, and horses in Tennessee, USA.
Abstract: We estimated the seroprevalence in dogs, cats, and horses from Tennessee, USA, using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) against 12 serovars. We observed seropositivity in 110 of 374 (29.4%) dogs, 21 of 170 (12.4%) cats, and 42 of 88 (47.7%) horses. The highest seroprevalence was observed for serovars Autumnalis (74.6%) in dogs, and Bratislava in cats (42.9%) and horses (95.2%). We found a significant level of potential cross-reactivity between multiple serovars tested, with highest cross-reactivity to serovar Autumnalis in dogs. seroprevalence was significantly higher in vaccinated dogs (45 of 98 [46%]) compared to unvaccinated dogs (14 of 86 [16%]; < 0.001). A significant difference in seroprevalence was observed in vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs to all 4 serovars included in canine leptospiral vaccines ( < 0.001). We also evaluated the testing results from our diagnostic laboratory submissions from 2021-2023; 103 of 252 (40%) canine serum samples were positive, with the highest positivity rate for serovar Autumnalis. On real-time PCR, 35 of 325 (10.7%) urine samples and 15 of 257 (5.8%) blood samples were positive. The cross-reactivity between the serovars used in the MAT and vaccination status should be considered when estimating seroprevalence.
Publication Date: 2024-12-14 PubMed ID: 39673474PubMed Central: PMC11645677DOI: 10.1177/10406387241299880Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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Overview
- This study measured the presence of antibodies against Leptospira bacteria in dogs, cats, and horses in Tennessee, USA, using laboratory tests to determine how common exposure to different Leptospira serovars is among these animals.
- The research also examined how vaccination status and cross-reactivity between serovars affect the interpretation of seroprevalence data.
Background and Purpose
- Leptospira is a genus of bacteria causing leptospirosis, an infectious disease affecting animals and humans.
- Different serovars (distinct variations within the species) of Leptospira exist and may vary in prevalence among animal populations.
- Seroprevalence studies measure antibodies in blood to estimate how many animals have been exposed to the bacterium.
- The study aimed to evaluate seroprevalence in three animal species—dogs, cats, and horses—in Tennessee, USA, to understand the extent of exposure to multiple Leptospira serovars.
Methodology
- Sample Collection:
- Blood samples were collected from 374 dogs, 170 cats, and 88 horses from Tennessee.
- Testing:
- Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) was used to detect antibodies against 12 different Leptospira serovars.
- Real-time PCR testing was conducted on urine and blood samples from dogs to detect active bacterial DNA.
- Vaccination considerations:
- The study recorded vaccination status for dogs and compared seropositivity rates between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
Key Findings
- Seroprevalence Rates:
- 29.4% of dogs (110/374) tested positive for Leptospira antibodies.
- 12.4% of cats (21/170) were seropositive.
- 47.7% of horses (42/88) showed seropositivity.
- Most Common Serovars:
- Dogs showed highest seroprevalence to serovar Autumnalis (74.6% of seropositive dogs).
- Cats and horses had the highest exposure to serovar Bratislava (42.9% in cats, 95.2% in horses among those seropositive).
- Cross-Reactivity:
- Significant cross-reactivity was noted between different serovars, especially to Autumnalis in dogs.
- This means antibodies may react to more than one serovar, complicating interpretation.
- Vaccination Impact:
- Vaccinated dogs showed significantly higher seropositivity (46%) compared to unvaccinated dogs (16%) (p < 0.001).
- Differences were also significant for serovars included in canine vaccines.
- This underscores that vaccination influences antibody detection in serological tests.
- Diagnostic Laboratory Data (2021-2023):
- Out of 252 canine serum samples submitted for testing, 40% were positive, with Autumnalis again being the most common serovar.
- Real-time PCR detected Leptospira DNA in 10.7% of 325 urine samples and in 5.8% of 257 blood samples from dogs, indicating active or recent infection in some animals.
Implications and Considerations
- Seroprevalence in Tennessee animals suggests exposure to multiple Leptospira serovars is relatively common, especially in dogs and horses.
- High seropositivity in vaccinated dogs points to the need to carefully interpret serological results, since vaccination can cause antibody presence and cross-react with multiple serovars.
- Cross-reactivity among serovars complicates precise identification of the infecting serovar by MAT alone.
- Complementary diagnostic methods, such as PCR, are valuable for confirming active infections.
- These findings may inform veterinary disease surveillance, vaccination protocols, and public health risk assessments involving leptospirosis.
Cite This Article
APA
McCreight KA, Barbosa LN, Odoi A, Reed P, Rajeev S.
(2024).
Leptospira seroprevalence in dogs, cats, and horses in Tennessee, USA.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 37(1), 119-125.
https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387241299880 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Leptospirosis / veterinary
- Leptospirosis / epidemiology
- Leptospirosis / microbiology
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Dogs
- Leptospira / isolation & purification
- Leptospira / immunology
- Leptospira / classification
- Dog Diseases / epidemiology
- Dog Diseases / microbiology
- Cats
- Tennessee / epidemiology
- Horses
- Cat Diseases / epidemiology
- Cat Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Male
- Female
- Serogroup
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Agglutination Tests / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Azócar-Aedo L, Meniconi G, Pino-Olguín C, Gallardo M. Seropositivity for Pathogenic Leptospira in Dogs, Cats, and Horses at a Teaching Veterinary Hospital in Southern Chile.. Trop Med Infect Dis 2025 Sep 3;10(9).
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