Sheep as maintenance host for Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo subtype hardjobovis.
Transmission of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo subtype hardjobovis from naturally infected sheep to uninfected sheep and calves was studied. A microscopic agglutination test and ELISA were used to determine specific antibody responses in serum. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect bacterial shedding in urine. Six sheep were derived from a dairy farm where cows were infected with L hardjobovis. Three of these sheep were seropositive for L hardjobovis, and 1 also shed leptospires in the urine. The other 2 sheep shed leptospires in the urine 7 days after the first observation date. The 6 sheep were placed on an isolated pasture together with a second group of 6 noninfected sheep. During the observation period of 140 days, 1 sheep of the second group became infected with L hardjobovis. On 5 consecutive days, a urine mixture from the 4 infected sheep was sprayed on the heads of 4 noninfected calves. Within 56 days, all calves that had been sprayed with urine shed L hardjobovis in the urine and became seropositive for L hardjobovis.
Gerritsen
M J
MJ
Department of Bacteriology, Central Veterinary Institute, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Koopmans
M J
MJ
Peterse
D
D
Olyhoek
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases; D017931:DNA Primers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012756:Sheep / Q000382:microbiology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014895:Weil Disease / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D017931:DNA Primers