Canine leptospirosis--do we have a problem?

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Bacteriology

Background:

• Acute canine leptospirosis is a recognized veterinary concern, typically managed through vaccination.
• Vaccinated dogs can still develop chronic leptospirosis, often caused by non-Canicola/Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroups.
• Leptospirosis is increasingly recognized as a significant infection in feline populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Leptospira spp. infection in cats.
• To highlight the limitations of current vaccination protocols for canine leptospirosis.
• To underscore the importance of considering Leptospira spp. in feline diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 98 clinically ill cats was conducted.
• Microagglutination test (MAT) was used to detect antibodies against Leptospira spp.

Main Results:

• Nearly half (48%) of the surveyed cats tested positive for Leptospira spp. via MAT.
• This indicates a high frequency of leptospiral infection in the studied feline population.
• The findings suggest that Leptospira spp. serogroups beyond those targeted by common vaccines can cause chronic disease in dogs.

Conclusions:

• Leptospira spp. infections are prevalent in cats, necessitating further investigation into feline leptospirosis.
• Current canine leptospirosis vaccines may not offer complete protection against all relevant serogroups.
• Veterinary surgeons should consider Leptospira spp. in the differential diagnosis for both canine and feline patients, especially those with chronic or atypical presentations.