title: Molecular Epidemiology of Leptospira Serogroup Pomona Infections Among Wild and Domestic Animals in Spain.
abstract: Strains of Leptospira serogroup Pomona are known to cause widespread animal infections in many parts of the world. Forty-three isolates retrieved from domestic animals and wild small mammals suggest that serogroup Pomona is epidemiologically relevant in Spain. This is supported by the high prevalence of serovar Pomona antibodies in livestock and wild animals. In this study, the strains were serologically and genetically characterized in an attempt to elucidate their epidemiology. Serological typing was based on the microscopic agglutination test but molecular typing involved species-specific polymerase chain reaction, restriction endonuclease analysis, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis. The study revealed that the infections are caused by two serovars, namely Pomona and Mozdok. Serovar Pomona was derived only from farm animals and may be adapted to pigs, which are recognized as the maintenance host. The results demonstrated that serovar Pomona is genetically heterogeneous and three different types were recognized. This heterogeneity was correlated with different geographical distributions of the isolates. All strains derived from small wild mammals were identified as serovar Mozdok. Some isolates of this serovar retrieved from cattle confirm that this serovar may also be the cause of infections in food-producing animals for which these wild species may be source of infection.
authors.affiliation: OIE Leptospira Reference Laboratory, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Veterinary Sciences Division, Stoney Road, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK. z.arent@ur.krakow.pl.|University Centre of Veterinary Medicine JU-AUK, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059, Kraków, Poland. z.arent@ur.krakow.pl.
authors.forename: Z J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Arent
authors.affiliation: OIE Leptospira Reference Laboratory, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Veterinary Sciences Division, Stoney Road, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.affiliation: Zoetis Spain, Avda de Europa 20B, 28018, Alcobendas (Madrid), Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: San-Miguel Ayanz
authors.affiliation: ADS JANDAVET, Calle Paterna, Local 4, 11170, Medina Sidonia (Cádiz), Spain.
authors.forename: L Quevedo
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Neyra
authors.affiliation: Bacteriology Department 2, Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria de Algete (MAGRAMA), 28110, Algete, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García-Peña
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology*; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D002417:Cattle; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000472:pathogenicity; D041401:Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D065288:Serogroup; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine
keywords: Leptospira; Mozdok; Pomona; domestic animals; leptospirosis; wild animals