Prevalence of Antibodies to Leptospira Serovars in Sheep and Goats in Alto Adige-South Tyrol

• Published in: Journal of veterinary medicine. Series B Vol. 47; no. 3; pp. 217 - 223
• Main Authors: Ciceroni, L., Lombardo, D., Pinto, A., Ciarrocchi, S., Simeoni, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science, Ltd 01.04.2000
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Goat Diseases - epidemiology; Goat Diseases - microbiology; Goats; Italy - epidemiology; Leptospira - classification; Leptospira - immunology; Leptospira - isolation & purification; Leptospirosis - epidemiology; Leptospirosis - microbiology; Leptospirosis - veterinary; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - epidemiology; Sheep Diseases - microbiology; Italy
• ISSN: 0931-1793; 1439-0450
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0450.2000.00333.x

Serum samples from 313 sheep and 95 goats were collected during November 1993 in 26 localities in Alto Adige–SouthTyrol and tested by microscopic agglutination test for antibodies to 28 serovars of the genus Leptospira. At the time of blood collection all the animals appeared healthy with no clinical sign suggestive of leptospirosis. The observed seroprevalence in sheep was 6.1 %, whereas the seropositivity rate for goat serum samples was 2.1 %. The highest serological prevalence in sheep was recorded for serovar castellonis, followed by poi, sejroe, hardjo subtype hardjobovis, copenhageni, and cynopteri. Titres to poi were the only ones found in goats. These findings, which are proof of Leptospira infection in Alto Adige–South Tyrol, indicate that foci of several serovars exist in this region.