title: Serological evidence of leptospiral infection in pig populations in different districts in Japan.
abstract: Serum samples were collected from 938 pigs of 24 farms in Hokkaido, Kagoshima, and Okinawa prefectures in Japan in 2001-2005. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the detection of antibodies to LipL32 antigen which is common to Leptospira interrogans. Samples positive in ELISA were then investigated by microscopic agglutination test for the identification of causal leptospires. Antibodies specific to leptospires of serovars Copenhageni, Bratislava, Australis and Javanica were detected in serum samples of pigs from each of the three districts. In addition, antibodies to leptospires of serovars Autumnalis and Tarassovi were predominantly detected in those from Kagoshima. The present study, thus, revealed that leptospires belonging to different serovars prevail in the pig population in Japan. In addition, it is the first detection of antibodies to leptospires belonging to serovars Javanica and Tarassovi in pigs in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakoda
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamikawa
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakashita
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kida
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012703:Serotyping / Q000662:veterinary; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial