Serological prevalence of Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava in horses in Mongolia (original) (raw)

Abstract

LEPTOSPIROSIS, caused by infection with Leptospira interrogans (sensu lato), is a zoonotic disease that affects most species of mammals (Bolin and Zuerner 1995). Horses infected with Leptospira species present with clinical disorders of abortion and recurrent uveitis (Donahue and others 1995, Faber and others 2000). In serological surveillance for leptospirosis carried out by Sebek (1974) in Mongolia, of 123 horses examined from Dornogovi, Dornod, Govi-Altai, Khuvsgul and Uvs provinces, nine were positive at a titre of 1:800 or higher by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), with antibodies to leptospires of serogroups Sejroe, Grippotyphosa, Pyrogenes, Shermani, Australis and Autumnalis being present. The highest titre, of 1:6400, was found to be against leptospires of serovar Hardjo. The highest prevalence was in Dornogovi province, while the lowest was in Govi-Altai province (Sebek 1974). Vaccination against leptospirosis is not practised in any animal species in Mongolia. The horse is one of the most important domestic animal species in the country, with a total population of 2·4 million (Ministry for Food and Agriculture of Mongolia 2001). Animal husbandry has remained as pastoral in Mongolia, leading to direct and indirect close contacts between animal species sharing the same pasture and water sources. This short communication describes a study to determine the current prevalence of leptospirosis in equine species in Mongolia, in order to provide information for further, largescale surveillance and control programmes. Seventy-two serum samples were randomly collected from horses in the steppe area of Tuv province, which has a horse population of 218,200. There is extensive human and animal movement in this province, whereby animals from different provinces are driven on foot to the slaughterhouse in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. In order to evaluate the risk factors involved in the transmission and spread of leptospirosis in horses, two further, geographically different provinces were involved in the study. There are no slaughterhouses in either province. Fifty-one serum samples were collected from horses in a dry desert area in Umnugovi province, where a total of 84,700 horses are raised. Another 58 serum samples were taken from Selenge province, which, unlike Umnugovi, has a humid environment. The horse population in Selenge province is 49,000. The serum samples were examined by the MAT in order to detect antibodies to leptospires. The MAT antigen panel consisted of live leptospires of the following serovars (strains): Australis (Akiyami C), Autumnalis (Akiyami A), Ballum (Mus 127), Bataviae (Swart), Bratislava (Jez-Bratislava), Canicola (Hond Utrecht IV), Copenhageni (Shibaura #9), Cynopteri (3522 C),Grippotyphosa (Moskva V),Hardjo (Hardjoprajitno), Hebdomadis (Akiyami B), Icterohaemorrhagiae (RGA), Javanica (Veldrat Bataviae 46), Mangus (TRVL/CAREC/137774), Monjakov (Monjakov), Pyrogenes (Salinem), Ruparupae (M 3), Sentot (Sentot 90 C), Tarassovi (Perepelitsin), Weaveri (CZ Veterinary Record (2005) 157, 518-519