title: Some observations on the diagnosis and epidemiology of leptospirosis in swine.
abstract: The results of combined epidemiological, clinical, serological, bacteriological and histopathological studies following an outbreak of disease caused by L. pomona on a farm stocked with cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses maintained for experimental purposes, are reported.The incidence of infection was high in horses, cattle and pigs. A few low titres were seen in sheep. The goats were not infected. Apart from a single bovine abortion all the clinical symptoms observed occurred in pregnant sows. Seven of these aborted or gave birth to stillborn pigs within a six week period. Fifteen species of wildlife were trapped or shot on the farm during the year following the outbreak. L. pomona was isolated from four skunks and a porcupine. Epidemiological studies indicated that wildlife reservoir hosts were the primary source of infection for the domestic livestock. Leptospiruria and the serological response were studied in a group of eight infected sows. Microscopic agglutination titres of 10(2) or less could not be associated with leptospiruria and the duration of leptospiruria was found to range from a few weeks to over two years in individual sows. Direct dark-field examination of urine proved superior to guinea-pig inoculation as a method of detecting leptospiruria and it is suggested that the former technique could be adopted with advantage as a routine aid to diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006652:Histological Techniques; D007919:Leptospira / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology