Studies on equine recurrent uveitis. II: The role of infection withLeptospira interrogansserovarpomona

Abstract

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the detection of immunoglobulin class specific antibodies to Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona in the serum and aqueous humor of horses. Serum antibody was also assayed by microscopic agglutination tests. Although higher levels of antibody were found in sera from horses with signs of uveitis, the association was not statistically significant. Antibodies to pomona were detected in the aqueous of 12 eyes from the 101 horses sampled at a slaughterhouse, and in most instances, a comparison of the aqueous/serum antibody level with that of the total aqueous/serum IgG level indicated intraocular antibody synthesis. Antibodies were also found in 4 aqueous (or vitreous) samples out of 9 obtained from horses with clinically documented uveitis and the above comparison again indicated intraocular antibody synthesis. The data point to an important role for pomona as an etiology of equine recurrent uveitis but also emphasize that the initiating cause for this disease is often obscure in that association with leptospirosis cannot be shown in many instances.

The outcome of pars plana vitrectomy in horses with equine recurrent uveitis with regard to the presence or absence of intravitreal antibodies against various serovars of Leptospira interrogans

“…This is in accordance with another study from continental Europe (Brem et al 1999). Similar reports from North America identified most commonly L. interrogans serovar pomona (Halliwell et al 1985, Dwyer et al 1995.…”

Long-term results of pars plana vitrectomy in relationship to leptospiral antibody detection in vitreous humor in 118 horses with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU)

“…So blieben postoperativ 42 von 43 (97,7 %) Augen über 67 Monate (Winterberg und Gerhards 1997), 33 von 38 (86,8 %) Augen nach Single-Port-PPV über einen Zeitraum von 5 Jahren (Frühauf et al 1998) Die Ätiopathogenese der ERU ist noch nicht abschließend geklärt. So werden in der aktuellen, ophthalmologischen Forschung Zusammenhänge zwischen dem direkten und indirekten Leptospirennachweis und der Erkrankung (Rimpau und Heusser 1947, Williams et al 1971, Halliwell et al 1985, Dwyer et al 1995, Brem et al 1999, Faber et al 2000, Wollanke et al 2001, Hartskeerl et al 2004, Niedermaier et al 2006, Brandes et al 2007, Gilger et al 2008, Loibl 2009), Autoimmunreaktionen als Ursache der ERU (Tizard 1992, Deeg et al 2008, Regan et al 2012, Zipplies et al 2012) und genetische Ursachen (Alexander und Keller 1990, Dwyer et al 1995, Kulbrock et al 2013, Fritz et al 2014 …”

LruA and LruB Antibodies in Sera of Humans with Leptospiral Uveitis

“…Infection with Leptospira spp. is the most common cause of equine recurrent uveitis (12,13), which is characterized by an initial uveitic episode followed weeks to months later by regularly recurring episodes of intraocular inflammation (10). Human leptospiral uveitis has been reported in various areas of the world, including the region around the city of Madurai in southern India (6,17,22,23).…”