Leptospirosis - Cattle and Sheep

Description

Leptospirosis is an economically significant zoonotic disease caused by the bacteria leptospira interrogans. L. interrogans serovar hardjo is host-adapted to cattle

• • • Acute disease in susceptible heifers, with fever and agalactia of all quarters; abortion and stillbirth may occur
    • Diagnosed by rising antibody titre in paired serum samples
    • Infection in sheep may cause abortion and agalactia
    • Urinary excretion can be reduced by administering dihydrostreptomycin or amoxycillin
    • Incactivated vaccines are of questionable efficacy
    • Serovars pomona, grippotyphosa and icterohaemorrhagiae cause pyrexia, haemoglobinurea, jaundice, anorexia, uraemia due to renal damage and death in calves and lambs

Diagnosis