Experimental canine leptospirosis caused by Leptospira interrogans serovars pomona and bratislava.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate gross, histopathologic, and serum biochemical findings caused by Leptospira interrogans serovars pomona and bratislava inoculated in dogs.


METHODS
Twenty-seven 8-week-old female Beagles.


METHODS
Dogs were randomly assigned to challenge or control groups. Challenge groups were conjunctivally inoculated on 3 successive days with 5 x 10(7) L interrogans serovar pomona (n = 12) or serovar bratislava (11). Clinical signs were recorded throughout the experiment, and clinical pathology assays, bacteriologic culture, and necropsies (6 or 7 dogs necropsied at each time point) were done on postinoculation day (PID) 7, 10, 14, and 20.


RESULTS
Infection could not be confirmed in any serovar bratislava-inoculated dog, and control dogs remained healthy throughout the experiment. Positive culture and fluorescent antibody test results were confirmed in 11 of 12 serovar pomona-inoculated dogs. Fever and lethargy starting at PID 7 were the most common clinical signs in serovar pomona-infected dogs. On day 10, gross lesions included multifocal renal and pulmonary hemorrhage and perirenal edema. Serovar pomona-inoculated dogs had histopathologic lesions including hepatitis, interstitial nephritis, and pneumonia at PID 7, 10, 14, and 20. Increases in BUN, anion gap, and bilirubin concentration occurred on PID 10, 14, and 20. Platelet counts in dogs with positive results of bacteriologic culture were decreased from baseline values on PID 10, 12, and 14.


CONCLUSIONS
Conjunctival inoculation with L interrogans serovar pomona resulted in a high rate of infection with concomitant hemorrhagic and inflammatory lesions of the kidneys, liver, and lungs.
Greenlee
Justin J
JJ
Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Alt
David P
DP
Bolin
Carole A
CA
Zuerner
Richard L
RL
Andreasen
Claire B
CB
D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D041401:Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors