Bovine Leptospira pomona infection: the disease in inoculated cattle

Abstract

The mild disease syndrome produced by inoculating a recently isolated Australian strain of Leptospira pomona into 21 cattle is described. Eight of nine previously unexposed animals that were injected with calf or guinea pig organ suspensions containing L. pomona became febrile and one had haemoglobinuria. Except for two killed for passage, all of the cattle developed serum agglutinating antibody to L. pomona to a high titre. One died of lantana poisoning 18 days after inoculation. The six survivors ail developed marked leptospiruria. However, no febrile reaction was observed in any of nine cattle inoculated with bovine urine microscopically positive for leptospiras, and leptospiruria was seen in only four animals, though all developed serum antibody. Agglutinating antibody to L. pomona was found in the urine of the two cattle examined, from the sixth week of the disease.