Leptospirosis
Other names: Weillâs disease (severe form in humans)
Cause: Leptospira spp (multiple serovars exist)
Species: Swine, dogs, horses, cattle, humans. Many other species are also affected and/or asymptomatic carriers.
Signs:
Swine â abortion (usually in last 3 weeks of pregnancy), stillbirths, weak piglets that die soon after birth or grow slowly. Other than reproductive losses affected swine often appear healthy; anorexia, lethargy, and mild scours of a few day duration is sometimes seen.
Dogs â Acute kidney injury that, if survived, may progress to chronic kidney disease. Acute liver disease. Icteris, increased bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase, lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, polyuria/oliguria/anuria, cylindruria, proteinuria, or glycosuria; azotemia, hyperphosphatemia, acidosis, hyperkalemia, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, monocytosis, and mild anemia, muscle pain, stiffness, weakness, trembling, reluctance to move, weight loss, fever or hypothermia, oculonasal discharge lymphadenopathy, effusions, and edema. Rarely bleeding disorders, uveitis, cough, dyspnea. Commonly fatal.
Horses â recurrent uveitis, abortion (usually after 9 months gestation); occasionally, fever and acute renal failure
Cattle â Most commonly abortion, stillbirth, increased services per conception, prolonged calving intervals, agalactia/blood-tinged milk. Often a large portion of the herd is affected. Less commonly, high fever, hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria, jaundice, pulmonary congestion, meningitis, death.
Humans â high fever, headache, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, myalgia, uveitis, jaundice, rash; may resolve and then relapse with greater severity; kidney failure (nonoliguric, hyponatremia, hypokalemia), liver failure, pulmonary hemorrhages, meningitis, death
Transmission: Bacteria is shed in infected animalâs urine and enters an uninfected animal through the the mucous membranes or skin wounds, often via contaminated water. Venereal transmission can occur in swine and cattle. Among dogs, hunting dogs, farm/herding dogs, and pet dogs that explore the outdoors are at greatest risk.
Diagnosis: PCR or antibody level testing required for definitive diagnosis
Treatment: Swine â Streptomycin injections, tetracycline feed additives
Cattle â tetracycline, oxytetracycline, penicillin, ceftiofur, tilmicosin, tulathromycin
Dogs â Doxycycline, supportive care (fluid therapy, antiemetics, GI protectants, phosphate binders, hepatic support diets and medications)
Humans â Penicillin, doxycycline, supportive care
Prevention: Vaccination is the best method of control in animals! Additional management practices help reduce risk â good facility sanitation and rodent control. Maintenance of pens to prevent injuries. Do not allow pigs contact with cattle, horses, dogs, or cats. Do not graze cattle with sheep. Do not allow pigs into the areas used to house other susceptible species. Avoid open drains and communal drinking troughs to limit spread between pens; limit mixing of pigs from different herds or pens as much as possible. Maintain closed herds, and do not share bulls or boars.
Humans â No vaccine available. Use PPE whenever working around pigs (especially when handling urine, afterbirth, aborted fetuses, performing artificial insemination, or assisting with dystocias) or any individuals of other species suspected to have leptospirosis. Avoid drinking or wading/swimming in contaminated water.
Sources: State of Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Merck Veterinary Manual, MSD Animal Health (image of dog), horsesidevetguide.com (horse image), NADIS (cattle images), leptospirosis.org (human image), CDC
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