Complete diagnosis of leptospirosis in tropical reproductive cattle

Abstract

21Leptospirosis is a worlwide zoonosis of great impact in both animal and public 22 health. Bovine leptospirosis is commonly manifested by reproductive disorders, such 23 as abortion, stillbirth and infertility; causing depletion of the economic balance of 24 livestock farms, along with representing a health risk problem for farm workers. In view 25 of these consequences, we aimed to evaluate the sanitary status of tropical cattle and 26 their role as reproductive disseminators of leptospirosis. We analyzed blood and 27 . CC-BY 4.0 International license It is made available under a (which was not peer-reviewed) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. isolates Guaricura and Nupezo, respectively; furthermore, five animals were positive by 33 PCR in blood and/or culture samples and three semen samples were positive by PCR 34 (one of them also seropositive). These results highlight the coexistence of both 35 disease's stages (acute and chronic) in the same environment, thus alert for venereal 36 dissemination of leptospirosis, aggravating their sanitary condition and fomenting 37 economic losses. We, authors, recommend the adoption of prophylactic measures, 38 such as systemic vaccination, treatment of animals and improvement of hygienic-39 sanitary conditions. 40