Original scientific paper

Leptospirosis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Trinidad

Abiodun Adewale Adesiyun ; School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Carol Hull-Jackson ; Leptospira Reference Laboratory, St. Michael, Barbados
Nicole Clarke ; Leptospira Reference Laboratory, St. Michael, Barbados
Carrol Whittington ; Leptospira Reference Laboratory, St. Michael, Barbados
Nadira Seepersadsingh ; School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

The seroprevalence of leptospirosis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) reared for meat in semi-intensive and extensive managed farms in Trinidad was determined. All sera were tested for specific antibodies against 17 internationally recognized serovars of Leptospira using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Animals with titres greater or equal to 100 were considered as seropositive indicating exposure to Leptospira and those with titres greater or equal to 800 were interpreted as cases of acute leptospirosis. Of a total of 226 apparently healthy water buffalo from five major farms in Trinidad tested, 33 (14.6%) were seropositive with titres ranging from 100 to 400. Three (60.0%) of 5 farms had seropositive animals with seropositivity rates ranging from 2.0% (1 of 50) on Farm A to 32.7% (16 of 49) on Farm B. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05; X2). Age and sex of animals had no significant (P>0.05; X2) effect on infection rate. The prevalent antibodies to serovars of
Leptospira were farm-specific with specific antibodies to serovars Copenhageni and Georgia being predominant on Farm B having been detected in 10 (62.5%) and 9 (56.3%) respectively of 16 seropositive animals. On Farm D however, also with 16 seropositive animals, specific antibodies to serovars Patoc and Bratislava were most frequently detected, found in 11 (68.8%) and 5 (31.3%) respectively of seropositive animals. This is the first documentation of leptospirosis in water buffalo in the Caribbean region and the health risk posed to farm workers, abattoir workers and veterinarians cannot be ignored.

Keywords

leptospirosis; water buffalo; Trinidad

Hrčak ID:

33133

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/33133

Publication date:

24.2.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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