Leptospirosis associated with serovars hardjo and pomona in red deer calves (Cervus elaphus)

Four red deer calves (Cervus elaphus) died with severe nephritis apparently associated with infection by Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona. The sera of 12 in-contact red deer calves were examined for leptospiral agglutinins and nine showed titres to pomona consistent with recent infection. Two also showed titres of 1:100 to serovar hardjo. The urine of five of these in-contact calves was examined periodically over a period of nine months. All were initially leptospiruric, four being infected with pomona and one with hardjo. In four animals leptospiruria could only be detected for up to six months, but one animal infected with pomona was leptospiruric for at least eight months. The apparent source of infection was from infected cattle, and it is suggested that deer are unlikely to act as maintenance hosts for serovar pomona.