Experimental Leptospira interrogans serovar Kennewicki infection of horses

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
W YanY-F Chang

Abstract

Little information is available about experimental induction of leptospirosis in horses. Determine serologic, hematologic responses of horses to Leptospira interrogans serovar Kennewicki infection. Four adult horses seronegative for leptospirosis. Experimental and observational study. Horses were challenged with an equine isolate of L. interrogans serovar Kennewicki at 2 different doses and different inoculation sites. After challenge, the horses were monitored for 60 days. Blood, urine, and aqueous humor samples were collected at intervals until euthanasia 60 days after infection. Pyrexia (39.3-40 degrees C) occurred as early as 1 day after challenge with 10x10(8)Leptospira divided equally between topical ocular and intraperitoneal injection in 2 horses. Leptospires were recovered from the blood and urine but not from the aqueous humor of the 2 febrile horses. The sera of all 4 challenged horses developed microscopic agglutination test antibody after challenge and remained relatively constant for 21 days. Titer to cross-reacting strains declined earlier than titer to the challenge strain. Clinical disease in experimentally infected horses can be mild or inapparent in Leptospira infected horses. Repeated serologic testing can a...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antibodies: Agglutination

Antibody-mediated agglutination is the clumping of cells in the presence of antibody, which binds multiple cells together. This enhances the clearance of pathogens. Find the latest research on antibody-mediated agglutination here.