Prevalence and serovars of leptospira involved in equine abortions in central Kentucky during the 1990 foaling season.
Abstract: A study to determine the prevalence of leptospira-induced abortions in the central Kentucky equine population during the 1990 foaling season and to determine the leptospira serovars responsible was conducted. From July 1, 1989 through June 30, 1990, 32 (4.4%) of 726 submissions (fetuses, stillborn foals, and/or placentas) were diagnosed as leptospirosis by the fluorescent antibody test and/or microscopic agglutination test. Attempts were made to isolate leptospires from the fetal tissues and/or the dam's urine in 31 of these cases. Leptospira interrogans serovar kennewicki was isolated from 11 (35.5%) and serovar grippotyphosa from 2 (6.5%) of the 31 cases. Of 12 cases that were culture negative with serologically positive fetal fluids, 8 had titers against serovar pomona, 1 against bratislava, 1 against grippotyphosa, 1 against hardjo, and 1 against both bratislava and pomona.
Publication Date: 1992-07-01 PubMed ID: 1515489DOI: 10.1177/104063879200400309Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the occurrence and types of leptospira, a bacteria causing abortions in horses, found in central Kentucky’s horse population during the 1990 breeding season. Out of 726 tested instances, 4.4% were diagnosed with leptospirosis, and two specific types of leptospira – serovar kennewicki and serovar grippotyphosa – were identified.
Study Background and Methodology
- This research was orchestrated to find the level of leptospira-induced abortions in the equine population based in central Kentucky during the 1990 foaling season. It further aimed to identify the leptospira serovars, or distinct variations, responsible for these abortions.
- The study was conducted over one year, from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990.
- The research utilized submissions of fetal tissues, stillborn foals, and placentas; out of 726 submissions, 32, accounting for 4.4%, were diagnosed with leptospirosis.
- Diagnosis of leptospirosis was based on either the fluorescent antibody test or the microscopic agglutination test, two common methods for identifying the presence of specific bacteria.
Research Findings
- In 31 out of the 32 leptospirosis cases, attempts were made to isolate the leptospira from the fetal tissues and the dam’s urine.
- Of these cases, Leptospira interrogans serovar kennewicki was isolated in 11 cases, accounting for 35.5%, and serovar grippotyphosa was found in 2 cases, representing 6.5%.
- Additionally, in 12 cases where cultures came back negative but fetal fluids tested positive serologically (by blood test), variations of leptospira were identified: eight cases had titers, or concentrations of antibodies, against serovar pomona; one titer was found against each of serovar bratislava, grippotyphosa, and hardjo; and one case was against both bratislava and pomona.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that leptospirosis, caused by various serovars of leptospira, was indeed present and contributing to equine abortions during the 1990 foaling season in central Kentucky.
- Further, it isolated and identified specific serovars responsible, providing valuable information for future preventive and treatment measures.
Cite This Article
APA
Donahue JM, Smith BJ, Donahoe JK, Rigsby CL, Tramontin RR, Poonacha KB, Wilson MA.
(1992).
Prevalence and serovars of leptospira involved in equine abortions in central Kentucky during the 1990 foaling season.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 4(3), 279-284.
https://doi.org/10.1177/104063879200400309 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Science, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40511.
MeSH Terms
- Abortion, Veterinary / epidemiology
- Abortion, Veterinary / microbiology
- Agglutination Tests
- Animals
- Bacteriuria / microbiology
- Bacteriuria / veterinary
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique
- Gastrointestinal Contents / microbiology
- Gestational Age
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Kentucky / epidemiology
- Kidney / microbiology
- Leptospira interrogans / classification
- Leptospira interrogans / isolation & purification
- Leptospirosis / epidemiology
- Leptospirosis / microbiology
- Leptospirosis / veterinary
- Liver / microbiology
- Placenta / microbiology
- Pregnancy
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Hamond C, Adam EN, Stone NE, LeCount K, Anderson T, Putz EJ, Camp P, Hicks J, Stuber T, van der Linden H, Bayles DO, Sahl JW, Schlater LK, Wagner DM, Nally JE. Identification of equine mares as reservoir hosts for pathogenic species of Leptospira. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1346713.
- Anderson T, Hamond C, Haluch A, Toot K, Nally JE, LeCount K, Schlater LK. Animals Exposed to Leptospira Serogroups Not Included in Bacterins in the United States and Puerto Rico. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023 Mar 22;8(3).
- Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K. Infectious Uveitis in Horses and New Insights in Its Leptospiral Biofilm-Related Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2022 Feb 7;10(2).
- 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.
- Palaniappan RU, Chang YF, Jusuf SS, Artiushin S, Timoney JF, McDonough SP, Barr SC, Divers TJ, Simpson KW, McDonough PL, Mohammed HO. Cloning and molecular characterization of an immunogenic LigA protein of Leptospira interrogans. Infect Immun 2002 Nov;70(11):5924-30.
- Lees VW, Gale SP. Titers to Leptospira species in horses in Alberta. Can Vet J 1994 Oct;35(10):636-40.
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