Leptospirosis - Cattle and Sheep
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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
Signalment
Risk factors include access to rivers and watercourses, and rodent infestation. Buying in stock, using a bull instead of AI and cograzing sheep with cattle are also significant factors.