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Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.70069

Seroprevalence of equine leptospirosis in Poland (2019-2023).

Abstract: Leptospirosis in horses is associated with various clinical signs, potentially leading to fatal outcomes. Additionally, the disease may pose a zoonotic risk to individuals involved in handling infected animals. Implementing a serological monitoring programme in the equine population is one of the key tools used to reduce the risk of transmission of Leptospira infections to humans. Objective: To provide new insights into the seroprevalence of leptospirosis in domestic horses in Poland. Methods: Serological monitoring program. Methods: Data were collected from serological surveys of horse serum samples across 14 of the 16 provinces between 2019 and 2023. A total of 4474 horse serum samples were tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), with 8 Leptospira serovars from 7 European serogroups. Statistical analyses and data visualisation were performed using Python-based libraries. Prevalence was calculated as absolute and relative percentages. Pairwise prevalence comparisons employed chi-squared tests with adjustments for multiple comparisons. Bayesian posterior probabilities were estimated to evaluate prevalence differences between groups. Results: The 5-year study showed a relatively high exposure (25.1%) of horses to Leptospira antigens in Poland. Dominant Leptospira serogroups were: Sejroe (39.2%), Pomona (14.6%), Bratislava (11.2%), and Grippotyphosa (10.1%). Pomorskie recorded the highest percentage of positive samples (29.2%). Conversely, Lubuskie exhibited the lowest prevalence at 16.2%. Conclusions: Details on the uses of horses were not available. Conclusions: This analysis provides valuable data on the circulation of Leptospira serogroups across different regions over time. The high seroprevalence of Leptospira in the Polish horse population underscores the necessity of ongoing monitoring, which will aid in the protection of individual horses, herds, and humans from potential infections.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-08-04 PubMed ID: 40760779DOI: 10.1111/evj.70069Google 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 research article chronicles an investigation into the prevalence of leptospirosis, a potentially fatal and zoonotic disease, in domestic horses in Poland from 2019 to 2023.

Objective and Methodology

  • The objective of this study was to provide insights into the prevalence of leptospirosis, a disease that can cause a range of symptoms in horses and can potentially be transmitted to humans who handle infected animals, in the domestic horse population in Poland.
  • Between 2019 and 2023, serological data were gathered from across 14 of the country’s 16 provinces, using a total of 4474 horse serum samples.
  • The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used in the testing phase, investigating the presence of 8 Leptospira serovars from 7 European serogroups.
  • The team conducted statistical analyses and visualised the data using Python-based libraries.
  • They calculated the prevalence as both absolute and relative percentages, and they carried out pairwise prevalence comparisons using a chi-squared test with adjustments for multiple comparisons.
  • To evaluate the differences in prevalence among different groups, they estimated the Bayesian posterior probabilities.

Results

  • Over the span of 5 years, the study indicated that 25.1% of horses in Poland were exposed to Leptospira antigens, which is a relatively high percentage.
  • The dominant Leptospira serogroups were Sejroe (39.2%), Pomona (14.6%), Bratislava (11.2%), and Grippotyphosa (10.1%).
  • The region with the highest percentage of positive samples was Pomorskie (29.2%), while the lowest prevalence was found in Lubuskie, at 16.2%.

Conclusions

  • This study provides invaluable data on the circulation of different Leptospira serogroups across various regions over time.
  • However, the researchers did not have data concerning the specific uses of the horses involved in the study.
  • The high prevalence of Leptospira in the Polish horse population emphasizes the need for sustained monitoring to protect horses, herds, and humans from potential infection.

Cite This Article

APA
Żmudzki J, Ostrowska M, Arent Z, Frant M, Kochanowski M, Nowak A, Zębek S, Kalinowski D, Podgórska K. (2025). Seroprevalence of equine leptospirosis in Poland (2019-2023). Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.70069

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Żmudzki, Jacek
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Ostrowska, Monika
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Arent, Zbigniew
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
Frant, Maciej
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Kochanowski, Maciej
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Nowak, Agnieszka
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Zębek, Sylwia
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Kalinowski, Damian
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.
Podgórska, Katarzyna
  • Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland.

Grant Funding

  • Chancellery of the Prime Minister Republic of Poland
  • Multiannual Program 2019-2023

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