<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Introduction:</bold> Recently in Europe an increase in the population of red deer (<italic>Cervus elaphus</italic>), roe deer (<italic>Capreolus capreolus</italic>), and fallow deer (<italic>Dama dama</italic>) has been observed. Research on the prevalence of <italic>Leptospira</italic> infections in Polish cervids has been performed for the first time.<bold>Material and Methods:</bold> During 2014/2015 hunting season, 147 blood samples from red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer were collected. The animals originated from different geographical regions across Poland. Serum samples were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for the presence of specific antibodies to the following <italic>Leptospira</italic> serovars: Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Sejroe, Tarassovi, Pomona, Canicola, Bratislava, Hardjo, Ballum, Zanoni, Hebdomadis, and Poi.<bold>Results:</bold> Serum antibody titres specific to Grippotyphosa, Pomona, and Zanoni serovars were found; none of the sera were positive for any of the other serovars. Out of 147 serum samples only 7 were positive, which gave an overall prevalence of 4.8% in the tested animal population.<bold>Conclusion:</bold> The low <italic>Leptospira</italic> antibody titres along with the low number of positive serum samples in deer indicate that these animals may not act as significant reservoirs of <italic>Leptospira</italic> for either humans or animals in Poland.</abstract>

Introduction: Recently in Europe an increase in the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and fallow deer (Dama dama) has been observed. Research on the prevalence of Leptospira infections in Polish cervids has been performed for the first time.Material and Methods: During 2014/2015 hunting season, 147 blood samples from red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer were collected. The animals originated from different geographical regions across Poland. Serum samples were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for the presence of specific antibodies to the following Leptospira serovars: Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Sejroe, Tarassovi, Pomona, Canicola, Bratislava, Hardjo, Ballum, Zanoni, Hebdomadis, and Poi.Results: Serum antibody titres specific to Grippotyphosa, Pomona, and Zanoni serovars were found; none of the sera were positive for any of the other serovars. Out of 147 serum samples only 7 were positive, which gave an overall prevalence of 4.8% in the tested animal population.Conclusion: The low Leptospira antibody titres along with the low number of positive serum samples in deer indicate that these animals may not act as significant reservoirs of Leptospira for either humans or animals in Poland.

First report of <italic>Leptospira</italic> infections in red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer in Poland

Department of Swine Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Pulawy,

Department of Epidemiology and Risk Assessment, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Pulawy,

University Centre of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Jagiellonian University, 30-059, Krakow,

Division of Laboratory and Clinical Diagnostics, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, 02-776, Warsaw,

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

First report of  infections in red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer in Poland

Introduction: Recently in Europe an increase in the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and fallow deer (Dama dama) has...

First report of Leptospira infections in red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer in Poland

Publié en ligne: 23 sept. 2016

Pages: 257 - 260

Reçu: 28 févr. 2016

Accepté: 20 juil. 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jvetres-2016-0039

Mots clés
cervids, antibodies, epidemiology, zoonosis

© 2016 Jacek Żmudzki et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

First report of Leptospira infections in red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer in Poland

Publié en ligne: 23 sept. 2016

Pages: 257 - 260

Reçu: 28 févr. 2016

Accepté: 20 juil. 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jvetres-2016-0039

Mots cléscervids, antibodies, epidemiology, zoonosis

© 2016 Jacek Żmudzki et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
cervids, antibodies, epidemiology, zoonosis