1Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263 145 (Uttaranchal).
2Division of EPM, FV.Sc. & A.H., R.S. Pura, Jammu.
3Deptt. of EPM, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar.
4Serum Institute of India, Pune.
5Division of Bacteriology and Mycology, IVRI, Izatnagar.
The present study was aimed to detect the status of leptospirosis in livestock, using microscopic agglutination test (MAT), which is prevalent in our country. A total of 290 serum samples of cattle, buffaloes and goats were tested using five serovars of Leptospira spp. viz., Australis, Canicola, Hardjobovis, Javanica and Pomona. The prevalence was higher in buffaloes (14.7%), followed by cattle (11.9%) and goats (4.6%). Higher seroprevalence was recorded in females (18.7% in buffaloes and 4.9% in goats) than in males (0% in buffalo and 3.8% in goats). Leptospira serovars Hardjobovis (3.5%), Javanica (7.7%) and Pomona (0.7%) were recorded in cattle, Hardjobovis (6.5%), Javanica (3.3%), Australis (1.6%) and mixed serovars (Hardjobovis and Javanica, 3.3%) in buffaloes and Javanica (4.6%) in goats. Seroprevalence was higher in cattle of 6–8 years age group (26.3%), above 9 years of age in buffaloes (33.4%) and below 3 years in goats (5%). It was higher in animals of tarai region (22.7%) with 13% in crossbred and 33.4% in indigenous cattle; and lower in hill region (7.1%) with 8.3% in crossbred cattle and 6.9% in indigenous cattle. The prevalence of leptospirosis in buffalo and goats of tarai region was 17.6% and 9.5% and of hill region 11.1% and 3.0%, respectively. District wise analysis revealed highest seroprevalence among cattle (22.2%) and goats (16.7%) in Dehradun and buffaloes in Nainital (46.1%).
