Atsfrnct: Leptospirosis i~ man and animals has been studied in Denmark since 1934. Strains of the following ten serotypes have been isolated: ic~erolrrrettrorrI~(~~iae, poi, catricolu, ~c / / N I ? I , brarisla~~a, pottrotlo, ~ripporyplrosa, sejrue, sn.rkoehitlg, and hara\,iae. Twenty-eight of the 44 species of wild land manimals living in Denmark have been examined culturally. Leptospires of eight serotypes were isolated from 14 species. Leptospires were demonstrated microscopically in the urine and/or kidneys of 31 bats belonging to fcur species. Ttese leptospires could not be cultured it1 vitro or transmitted to animals other than bats. Serological evidence of present or past leptospirosis was found in four species of I.ct~ortrorplra. Cart~i\*ora and U t~g~r l a t a not examined culturally.Our findings indicate that the following species are maintaining hosts for leptospires of identified serotypes in Denmark: Sorex aratreus ( p o i ) , Erinaceus etrropaeus (bratislava ), Microrus arvalis (grippotyphosa), Rarrus t~o r~* e~i c t r s (icterohaemorrhagiae), Mlrs t~~uscctlus (sejroe), Apodettrlts u~r a r i u s (pomona), and Apodetrius f1at.icollis (saxkoebing). M u s tt~rtsc.rrlus is probably also a maintenance host for leptospires of the ballutl~ serotype. Three bat species, Myoris datch~trrotrii, Pipisrrellus pipistrellus, and Npcralus t~ocrrrla, with a high carrier rate ( 15-20% ), may be maintenance hosts for unknown serotypes of a unique group of leptospires. Batu~.icre and catlicola leptospires have not yet been isolated from wild animals in Denmark.The significance of leptospirosis in wild mammals for the epidemiology of leptospirosis in man and domestic animals is discussed.

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