Experimental infection of calves with leptospira interrogans szwajizak
Nervig, R.M.; Cheville, N.F.; Baetz, A.L.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 39(3): 523-526
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 Accession: 005423655
This is a report on the experimental infection of cattle with L. interrogans serotype szwajizak. The principal clinical features in three 4 wk old Holstein-Friesian heifers inoculated i.v. were fever, listlessness, anorexia, weakness and diarrhea. L. interrogans szwajizak was isolated from the blood for the first 5-8 days after inoculation. Leptospires were recovered from kidneys, but not from liver, spleen, brain or urine. Two of the 3 calves produced homologous agglutinins, with maximum serum titers of 1:80 and 1:160. The sera of the 2 calves that developed L. interrogans szwajizak agglutinins showed cross reactivity with L. wolffi and L. hardjo antigens. There were no significant differences of plasma and urine constituents between the inoculated calves and the control calf. Endocardial hemorrhages and large soft black-red spleen were present in the 2 calves given the greatest numbers of leptospires. Histopathologically, kidney of all infected calves had multiple small foci of lymphoid cells, chiefly plasmacytes, which were present in periglomerular and interstitial areas.