Seroepidemiology of leptospirosis in Minnesota wolves.
Serum samples (n = 457) from wolves (Canis lupus) in northern Minnesota were collected from 1972 through 1986 and were tested for antibodies against Leptospira interrogans using a microtiter agglutination test. Twelve serovars included in the study were: australis, autumnalis, ballum, bataviae, bratislava, canicola, copenhageni, grippotyphosa, hardjo, pomona, pyrogenes, and tarassovi. Fifty-two (11%) sera had antibody titers of greater than or equal to 1:50 against one or more serovars of L. interrogans. The seroprevalence of different serovars in decreasing order was: grippotyphosa, bratislava, autumnalis, canicola, pomona, ballum, pyrogenes, hardjo, and copenhageni. No antibodies were found against australis, bataviae, and tarassovi. These results indicate that L. interrogans infection may occur in wolves of Minnesota.
Khan
M A
MA
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108.
Goyal
S M
SM
Diesch
S L
SL
Mech
L D
LD
Fritts
S H
SH
D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002335:Carnivora; D005260:Female; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014895:Weil Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial