Pulmonary hemorrhage in horses seropositive to leptospirosis

Abstract

Pesq. Vet. Bras. 31(5): 413-415, maio 2011 RESUMO.-[Hemorragia pulmonar em cavalos soropositivos para leptospirose.] O objetivo foi estudar a ocorrência e severidade de hemorragia pulmonar (HP) em cavalos soropositivos ou não à leptospirose. Um total de 84 cavalos em treinamento foi testado para anticorpos antiLeptospira e submetidos à endoscopia das vias aéreas superiores de 30-60 minutos após exercício. Quarenta e nove (46,4%) animais foram soropositivos (títulos≥100) para o serovar Copenhageni. Dezessete cavalos (20,2%) apresentaram HP, significativamente mais observada em soropositivos (34,7%) do que em soronegativos (8,6%) (p<0,05) e também mais grave nos primeiros. Adicionalmente, um cavalo soropositivo tem 4,26 mais chances (OR) de apresentar PH do que um soronegativo. Quinze dias após o tratamento com antibiótico específico para leptospirose uma melhoria significativa no grau de hemorragia foi observada. Portanto, sugere-se que a leptospirose pode potencializar a severidade da HP e que o tratamento com antibióticos específicos recomendados para leptospirose pode ajudar a controlá-la. TERMOS DE INDEXAÇÃO: Leptospirose, cavalos, hemorragia pulmonar. INTRODUCTIONLeptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by infection with spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira (Faine et al. 2000). It is largely reported in tropical countries (Langoni et al. 2004). Titers to several serovars have been reported in horses and, in general, serovars from the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup (as Copenhageni), besides Bratislava and Pomona, tend to be most prevalent (Langoni et al. 2004). Leptospirosis in horses is frequently sub-clinical, the clinical cases being associated with abortion and recurrent uveitis, although sporadic cases of systemic disease have also been reported ( Van den Ingh et al. 1989).Although hemorrhagic leptospirosis has been reported as the cause of death of 12 foals (Van den Ingh et al. 1989), pulmonary aspects of the disease are poorly studied in horses. However, there have been widely reported in humans, and pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis varies from 20% to 70%, with hemoptysis in 3-25% of patients and chest pain in 10% (Pereira da Silva et al. 2002)

Leptospira Seroprevalence in Capybaras from a Brazilian Urban Area

“…Considering the results of our serological survey, it is important to reinforce that in tropical countries, mainly Brazil, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and Barbados, serovars belonging to the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup, for example, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Copenhageni, are generally the most prevalent [4,17]. Thus, it may represent an important risk factor, especially considering that changes in human demography during the last 50 years have raised awareness of the emergence of leptospirosis as an urban health problem [20].…”

Leptospirosis in horses: special reference to equine recurrent uveitis

“…Recently this syndrome is being reported more commonly than previous information (Broux et al, 2012) and endoscopy revealing pulmonary haemorrhage in 35% of seropositive adult horses (Hamond et al, 2012a).…”

Letter to the Editor

“…2 Besides the well-known ocular and reproductive manifestations, 3 respiratory disorders associated to leptospirosis, including pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) and pneumonitis, have been described in horses. 4 Our group recently reported a case of pulmonary hemorrhage in an aborted foal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The diagnosis of leptospirosis was confirmed by PCR of the hemorrhagic thoracic fluid.…”

“…Additionally, it has been demonstrated that seroreactive horses were 4.26 times more likely (odds ratio, [OR]) to present with PH than were seronegative horses. 4 With regard to the treatment, it was notable that, of 5 studied foals, the authors employed antibiotic therapy (cefquinome), with good results, in only 1 animal (case 2). In our experience, procaine penicillin G combined with streptomycin (Pen & Strep ® , Lavizoo, Campinas, SP, Brazil), 25mg/kg was employed in 18 adult seroreactive horses, and substantial improvement in the grade of their hemorrhage was observed.…”