[Progression and control of leptospirosis in a sow herd]

After a short review about etiology, epidemiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis and therapy of leptospirosis the course and therapy of an acute leptospirosis outbreak in a breeding herd with nearly 240 sows is described. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) served for diagnosis and was most reliable for estimation the actually stage of infection when used twice with an interval of several weeks. As causative agent serovar L. pomona was identified, whereby cross-reactions were seen to serovars L. grippotyphosa, L. bratislava and L. copenhageni. Therapy of all animals with Terramycin/LA (Pfizer) at three times with intervals of five days and doses of 20 mg oxytetracycline/kg b.w. distinctly reduced the incidence of abortion and stillborn or mummified pigs. Local irritations, relative to the intramuscular administration of oxytetracycline, mostly were low-graded and temporary. For the next months acute infections could not be registered. Probably due to infections from leptospires-reservoirs, maintained by numerous existing mice and puddles on the pasture-ground, leptospirosis occurred again six months later. Only another antibiotic therapy of the whole herd and simultaneous eradication of rodents as well as closing the pasture led to a long-termed control of leptospirosis in this herd.