Leptospiral antibodies in dairy cattle: some ecological considerations
Twigg, G.I.; Hughes, D.M.; McDiarmid, A.
Veterinary Record 90(21): 598-602
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 5073131 Document Number: 47906
Serum samples from 861 dairy cattle were examined for antibodies to Leptospira and 116 animals (12.3%) showed evidence of previous infections. The infection rate in a herd is a reflection of the various components of the environment in which it lived, chief among these being the species of wild mammal with which it has contact. The role of the commensal rodent species, in brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the house mouse (Mus musculus) is particularly important; 91 out of 133 positive reactions (68.4%) being to serotypes carried by these two species. In addition, wetness of the habitat was important, the highest infection rate (52.6%) occurring on marshy, rat-infested land. Perhaps also of importance were factors such as soil type and the practice of transferring cattle from one area to another. The importance of environmental studies in this and other zoonoses is stressed.