Experimental infection of the possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) withLeptospira interrogansserovarbalcanicaI. Characteristics of infection

Experimental Leptospirosis in Capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) Infected with Leptospira interrogans Serovar Pomona

“…26 Agglutinins against serovar Pomona were initially detected in blood serum 6 or 7 day after innoculation, peaked (titer, ,3,200) between 9 and 27 day, and were still present at 83 day (end of study) in animals that survived. The dynamics of agglutinin response observed in this experiment were similar to those reported for cattle, 28 sheep, 3 common brushtail opossum, 11 Norway rat, 2,6 and Cuban hutia (Capromys pilorides).…”

Leptospirosis Serology in the Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) from Urban Sydney, Australia

“…We did not observe large changes in antibody titers between serum samples from the same animal (Table 1). Experimental infection with serovar Balcanica in captive brushtail possums resulted in a peak in antibody titers within the first 2 wk of infection (Hathaway et al, 1981). Titers then fell rapidly, reaching a plateau about 2 mo postinoculation; titers were maintained at almost constant levels for the remaining 11 mo of the experiment.…”

“…This species is considered a maintenance host for Leptospira interrogans serovar Balcanica in New Zealand (Hathaway, 1981;Hathaway et al, 1981), where it was introduced in the late 1800s for fur trade. Infection with serovar Balcanica in brushtail possums is characterized by high susceptibility to infection, temporary subclinical effects, low pathogenicity to the host, long-term leptospiruria, and natural transmission within the host species (Hathaway et al, 1981;Day et al, 1997). In New Zealand, seropreva-lence varies greatly; up to 80% of adults test positive on the North Island, whereas leptospirosis appears to be absent from brushtail possums on the South Island (Horner et al, 1996).…”

“…Crossreactions are common, and the highest detected antibody titer may not necessarily represent the infective serovar (Levett, 2001). In a captive study by Hathaway et al (1981), brushtail possums infected with Balcanica showed higher or equivalent antibody titers to Hardjo. Therefore, in the absence of additional samples, which would allow isolation of the causative leptospires, there remains some uncertainty as to which serovar or serovars infected some of the brushtail possums.…”

“…Two animals had been exposed to the exotic serogroup Ballum. Brushtail possums are an accidental host for serogroup Ballum; leptospiruria is not associated with infection (Hathaway et al, 1981) and severe illness can occur. Indirect contact with free-living maintenance host species such as the black rat (Rattus rattus) and house mouse (Mus musculus) are the likely source of serogoup Ballum and we occasionally encountered black rats in our brushtail possum traps.…”