Bovine abortion associated with Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo infection

Abstract

During 1981, 265 bovine abortions were investigated by serological and histological methods for evidence of leptospiral infection. Leptospires were demonstrated in the tissues of 10 foetuses by a Levaditi silver impregnation technique. Serological testing of maternal sera indicated that Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo was associated with 5 of the abortions while the remaining 5 were due to L. interrogans serovar pomona infection. In cases of abortion associated with L. interrogans serovar hardjo leptospires were readily demonstrated in foetal liver, kidney, intestine and heart. They were demonstrated less often in lung and placenta and could not be found in foetal brain. Autolysis did not appear to interfere with the demonstration of leptospires by silver impregnation. No lesions attributable to leptospiral infection were seen in placentas but mild interstitial nephritis was found in some of the foetuses. Fourteen other cows had serological evidence of recent leptospiral infection but leptospires were not detected in foetal tissues. Histological examination of silver impregnated foetal tissues in combination with the microscopic agglutination test was shown to be an effective method for diagnosing abortion associated with L. interrogans serovar hardjo in cattle.

Soroepidemiologia da leptospirose e brucelose bovina em propriedades rurais de agricultura familiar do agreste paraibano, Nordeste do Brasil

“…Similarmente, nos Estados da Bahia e São Paulo, esse sorovar foi apontado como o mais prevalente nas propriedades e nos animais (Castro et al, 2008;Oliveira et al, 2009), confirmando os achados clássicos em bovinos. Este sorovar, também relatado como prevalente em rebanhos bovinos de outros países, tem sido reconhecido como significante causa de falhas e alterações nos parâmetros reprodutivos (Higgins et al, 1980;Slee et al 1983;Tebrugge;Dreyer, 1985;Prescott et al, 1988;Ellis, 1994;Faine et al, 1999;Guitian et al 1999;Chiareli et al, 2012).…”

Leptospirosis

“…In addition, hardjo has been isolated from normal fetuses (191), the genital tracts of pregnant cattle (191), vaginal discharge after calving (193), and the genital tract and urinary tract of Ͼ50% of cows (197,198) and bulls (185). In Australia, both serovars hardjo and pomona were demonstrated in bovine abortions, but serological evidence suggested that the incidence of hardjo infection was much higher (182,305,529). In Scotland, 42% of cattle were seropositive for hardjo, representing 85% of all seropositive animals (187).…”

Involvement of Leptospira serovars with Different Clinical Conditions of Leptospirosis in Cattle

“…A total of 1122 serum samples were collected from cattle with the history of abortion, repeat breeding, jaundice and haemorrhagic mastitis (Table -2 Slee et al (1983) proved that serovar hardjo was associating with bovine abortions in Australia, whereas Thiermann (1982) reported that hardjo could produce mastitis and abortions. Sullivan and Callan (1970), Hoare and Claxton (1972), Gordon (1977) and Higgins et al (1980) reported association of clinical mastitis with hardjo in cattle.…”