Ovine leptospirosis in Brazil

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis distributed worldwide, endemic mainly in humid subtropical and tropical countries, with epidemic potential. It affects a range of both wild and domestic animals, including sheep, which transport leptospires in their urine and, therefore, can infect other animals and humans who deal with them. Therefore, leptospirosis is characterized as an occupational zoonosis. In individual herds leptospirosis can cause severe economic loss due to miscarriages and outbreaks of mastitis with a significant reduction of milk production. The disease is caused by Leptospira interrogans, which was reclassified into 13 pathogenic species, and distributed into more than 260 serovars classified into 23 serogroups. The clinical signs of infection may vary depending on the serovar and host. In maintenance hosts, antibody production is generally low; there are relatively mild signs of the disease, and a prolonged carrier state with organisms in the kidneys. In incidental hosts, the disease may be more severe, with high titers of circulating antibodies and a very short or nonexistent renal carrier state. In general, young animals with renal and hepatic failure have more serious infections than adults. Several diseases may produce symptoms similar to those of leptospirosis, so that laboratory confirmation, through microscopic agglutination test, for example, is required. The effectiveness of treatment depends on early diagnosis and appropriate therapy, depending on clinical features, since leptospirosis can develop into chronic liver disease and nephropathy, progressing towards death. Improvements in habitation and sanitary conditions, rodent control, vaccination, isolation and treatment of affected animals are the main measures for the control of leptospirosis.

Diagnostic Investigation of 100 Cases of Abortion in Sheep in Uruguay: 2015–2021

“…Serogroups Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, Ballum, and Pyrogenes were the most prevalent here. Among these serogroups, Pomona, Canicola and Pyrogenes had already been reported in cattle in Uruguay ( 99 ), as well as in goats and sheep in Brazil ( 100 , 101 ), evidencing a wider distribution in the region. Although clinical disease by Leptospira interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Kennewicki has been identified in sheep in Uruguay ( 32 ), the role of Leptospira spp.…”

Prevalence of Leptospirosis in Egyptian Sheep Flock

“…In other words, the efficacy of leptospira control programs in farm animals relies mainly on the direct identification of carriers (De NardiJúnior et al, 2010;Schonman et al, 2010). (Rajeev et al, 2010), Lucheis and Ferreira (2011) reported that the clinical signs of infection may vary depending on the serovar and host. In maintenance hosts, antibody production is generally low; there are relatively mild signs of the disease, and a prolonged carrier state with organisms in the kidneys.…”

Current treatment options for leptospirosis: a mini-review

“…In most cases, leptospirosis is characterized by mild clinical signs, which can improve spontaneously ( Haake and Levett, 2015 ; Chacko et al, 2021 ). The treatment procedures used for leptospirosis are directly related to the condition (severity) of the infection ( Wang et al, 2007 ; Monahan et al, 2009 ; Lucheis and Ferreira, 2011 ; Klaasen et al, 2014 ; Grassmann et al, 2017a ; Gopi et al, 2021 ). Normally, the administration of oral doxycycline is recommended for the treatment of mild leptospirosis.…”