Seroepidemiological Studies on Leptospirosis among Bovines in an Organized farm

Balakrishnan Balakrishnan, G Govindan

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai -7, Tamil Nadu – India Central University Laboratory, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai – 51

*Corresponding author: gobalg@rediffmail.com

Abstract :

A total of 677 serum samples were collected from cattle and buffaloes with different clinical conditions and suspected for leptospirosis included abortion, repeat breeding, jaundice, haemorrhagic mastitis and apparently healthy animals, from a private farm in Gujarat state. The serum samples were subjected to seroprevalence studies using MAT. The seropositivity was found to be 34.74 per cent in cattle and 54.14 per cent in buffaloes. Among the 12 serovars against which the serum samples were screened, only five serovars namely, australis, ballum, hardjo, hebdomadis and pomona were found to be prevalent among the cattle and buffaloes. Among the cattle breeds subjected in the present study, the risk of leptospirosis was more in exotic pure breeds (50.00 per cent), followed by indigenous pure breeds (34.38 per cent) and cross breeds (32.74 per cent). Amongst the three age groups studied, the risk of leptospirosis was more in the cattle of age group above seven years (55.88 per cent), followed by four to seven years (51.28 per cent) and below seven years (28.42 per cent). This study revealed more seropositivity in males (53.71 per cent) than in females (14.18 per cent). Among three breeds of buffaloes screened, the susceptibility to leptospirosis was found to be more in Murrah (58.25 per cent), followed by Pandhapuri (40.91 per cent) and Jaffrabadi (37.50 per cent). As regards the age of buffaloes, the seropositivity was found to be increasing with age group and results are very similar with the results observed in cattle. Among the buffaloes, the disease prevalence was observed more in males (57.89 per cent) than females (44.73 per cent).