Background and Objective: Leptospirosis is an infectious and zoonosis disease, which is caused by leptospira and is transmitted from animal to human. The rapid diagnosis can control the disease, therefore this study was carried out to determine the prevalent serovars of leptospira using micro agglutination test (MAT) in human and cattles.Method: In this descriptive study, 175 cattles and 67 suspected human serum samples were tested in five provinces in Iran during 2011-12. Serum samples tested by micro agglutination test using 20 live leptospira serogroup.Results: Ninty nine out of 175 (56.5%) cattle serum samples and 31 out of 67 (46.2%) human samples were positive against leptospira antigen. The most prevalent leptospira serovar in cattles and human were Serjoe hardjo (61.9%) and Serjoe serjoe (23%), respectively. The most frequent titer in positive samples was equal to be 1.400. Fifty percent of human positive samples belong to farmers between 20-40 years old. The common contaminations belong to polluted water (61.1%) and infected blood (28.3%), respectively.Conclusion: Using micro agglutination test, the most prevalent leptospira serovar in cattles was Serjoe hardjo and in human was Serjoe serjoe.

Background: Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease and is considered to be the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world. LigB is an immunogenic outer membrane protein. The leptospiral ligB gene expressed only in pathogenic Leptospira spp. The aim of this study was molecular diagnosis of pathogen Leptospires by PCR based on ligB gene.Materials and Methods: Five pathogenic Leptospires: L. canicola, L. grippotyphosa, L. pomona, L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. serjoe hardjo and saprophytic L. biflexa were used in this study. The bacteria were inoculated into the selective culture medium and extraction of the genomic DNA was performed by standard Phenol-Chlorophorm method. The specific primers for proliferation of ligB gene were designed. The specificity and sensitivity of PCR method was evaluated.Results: PCR product was 1041bp which indicated proliferation of ligB gene which was supported using electrophoresis. The PCR based on ligB gene detected all pathogenic reference serovars of Leptospira spp. tested. No PCR products were amplified from the non-pathogenic L. biflexa.Conclusion: Considering the spread of Leptosperosis in moderate and hot areas which have high rate of fall, a proper molecular diagnostic test with high specificity and sensitivity such as PCR is essential. PCR assay with high specificity and sensitivity may prove to be a rapid method for diagnosing acute leptospirosis. The results suggested that the PCR based on ligB gene can be used for detection of pathogenic leptospires.

In order to detect leptospiral antibody in the serum of people in Ahvaz, blood samples were taken from 180 men, and they were divided into direct contact (93 person) and non-direct contact (87 person) with animals. The sera were initially screened at serum dilution of 1:100 against six live antigens of Leptospira interrogans: pomona, canicola, hardjo, ballum, icterohemorrhagiae and grippotyphosa using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies against one or more serovars at dilution of 1:100 were detected in 21(22.58%) and 11(12.64%) sera of the men with direct and non-direct contact to animals, respectively. Among the positive sera, antibodies were most frequent in serovar canicola (56%) followed by grippotyphosa (26%), pomona and hardjo (each of them 8%) in the men with direct contact to animals and in the men with non-direct contact to animal, antibodies were most frequent in serovar canicola and grippotyphosa (each of them 41.2%) followed by Pomona (11.8%) and hardjo (5.9%). The majority of titre level was 1:100 for all serovars and the frequency of 1:100 were 84% and 70.6%, 1:200 were 16% and 11.8% and 1:400 were zero and 17.7% in the men with direct contact and non-direct contact to animal, respectively. The prevalence of leptospiral antibody in the men with direct contact to animal was higher than the non-direct contact, but statistical analysis showed non significant difference between these groups.

In a serological survey to investigate the prevalence of leptospiral infection in goats in Ahvaz, blood samples were taken from 172 female goats. They were initially screened at serum dilution of 1: 100 against six live antigens of leptospira interorgans serovar pomona, canicola, hardjo, ballum, icterohemorrhagiae, and grippotyphosa using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and samples were considered positive, if 50% or more of agglutination of leptospires in a dilution of 1:100 or greater was found. Sera with positive results were titrated against reacting antigens in serial twofold dilution from 1:100 to 1:1600. Antibodies against one or more serovars were detected in 18 (10.46%) sera at dilution³ 1: 100. Antibodies against more than one serovar were found in 5 (27.77%) positive sera. Antibodies were most frequent to serovar grippotyphosa (39.13%) followed by in descending, canicola (26.80%), pomona (21.72%), icterohemorrhagiae (8.69%) and hardjo (4.34%).

Leptospirosis as an occupational hazard to butchers, fanners, and veterinarians is an important zoonosis. Leptospiral infection may be occurred in veterinary students by contact with farm, pet, and laboratory animals. The aim of this study was the seroprevalence survey of leptospiral infection in veterinary students in Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. Blood samples were taken from 187 students. The Sera were initially screened at serum dilution of 1: 100 against six live antigens of Leptospira interrogans sub species: pomona, canicola, hardjo, ballum, icterohemorrhagiae and grippotyphosa using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies against one or more serovars at dilution ³1: 100 were detected in 32 (17.1 %) student. Among the positive sera, antibodies were most frequent to serovar canicola (42.1%) followed by pomona (28.9%), grippotyphosa (18.4%), icterohemorrhagiae (7.9%) and hardjo (2.6%). There was no difference between the grades and sex of students with leptospiral infection.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis as a common zoonotic diseases has a worldwide distribution.OBJECTIVES: To Investigate of seroprevalence leptospiral infection in slaughtered camels (Camelus dromedarius) province of Yazd, Iran.METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 128 camels. Sera were initially screened at serum dilution of 1:100 against six live antigens of (Leptospira interrogansserovars pomona, canicola, hardjo, ballum, icterohaemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa) using microscopic agglutination test. The values ³ 50% in a dilution 1:100 were considered as positive ones. Sera with positive values were titrated against reacting antigens in serial dilutions from 1:100 to 1:400.RESULTS: Antibodies against one or more serovars were shown in 30 (32.4%) sera at dilution ³ 1:100. Among the positive sera, Pomona (57.9%) canicola (23.7%), hardjo (10.5%), grippotyphosa (5.3%) and icterohaemorrhagiae (2.6%) were the most frequent serovars, respectively. Furthermore antibodies against more than one serovar were found in 8 (26.6%) of positive sera.CONCLUSIONS: It seems that leptospiral with various serovars could be considered as a prevalent infection in camels of the central part of Iran.

In order to evaluate the seroprevalence of Leptospira interrogans infection in horses, blood samples were taken from 152 horses from 7 horse clubs in Tehran. Serum samples were examined using a microscopic agglutination test to detect the presence of antibodies against five live serotypes of Leptospira interrogans (grippotyphosa, pomona, icterohaemorrhagiae, canicula and hardjo). Of the tested samples, 23 horses (15.13%) were positive to one or more serotypes. Titer levels ranged from 1:100 to 1:200. Icterohaemorrhagiae (44.44%) was the most frequently detected serovar followed in descending order by gripotyphosa (29.62%), canicula (22.22%), pomona (3.7%) and serotype hardjo was negative. Statistical analysis using the chi-squared test showed there was no significant correlation differences between Leptospira interrogans infection and factors such as sex and age. The serum titers of infected horses ranged from 1:100 (n=19) to 1:200 (n=78). These results suggest that the icterohaemorrhagiae serovar may be the most prevalent serovar in the horse population Tehran.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease, which can induce hepatic lesions. Photosensitization (PS) maybe is the result of accumulation of photodynamic agents in unpigmented area of the skin exposed to sunlight which occurred due to hepatic lesions. An outbreak of leptospirosis was occurred in a dairy cattle herd complex with 760 dairy milking cows in March (1990). Totally, 412 cows (54.21%) showed clinical signs including fever, systemic mastitis, haemoglobinuria, jaundice, lameness, abortion and stillbirth. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used for diagnosis of leptospirosis. The herd was infected with Leptospira interrogans grippotyphosa, L. interrogans icterohaemorrhagiae, L. interrogans pomona, L. interrogans canicola and L. interrogans hardjo. Only one (0.13%) cow showed PS in the unpigmented skin dorsum. MAT showed that she was infected with L. interrogans pomona, L. interrogans hardjo and L. interrogans icterohaemorrhagiae with titre of 1 : 3200 of antibody. In spite of the high incidence of leptospirosis, the frequency of PS was too low.  

This study was conducted on 210 sheep in Maku area in Iran in order to determine seroprevalence of leptospiral infection. Sera were initially screened at dilution of 1: 100 against 8 live serovars of Leptospira interrogans: Pomona, Canicola, Hardjo, Ballom, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Automenalis, Australis and Grippotyphosa using the microscopic agglutination test. The prevalence of leptospiral infection (At titers 100 and 200) was 15.23% in sheep. There was a significant relationship between aging and the incidence of leptospiral infection (P<0.05); however no significant relationship between breed of the shepp and the incidence of leptospiral infection was found. The highest number of reactors in sheep (62%) was due to serovar Canicola, followed in descending order by Icterohaemorrhagiae (32%) and Hardjo (6%). All of the sera were seronegatives for Pomona, Ballum, Grippotyphosa and Autominalise. The majority of titre levels were between 100 and 200 for all the serovars. These results confirm that the majority of leptospiral infections is asymptomatic and the presence of antibodies in the absence of infection indicates exposure to the organism in these animals.

To investigate the seroprevalence of leptospiral infection in sheep in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, blood samples were taken from 181 female sheep. Sera were stored at -20oC until use. They were initially screened at serum dilution of 1:100 against six live antigens of Leptospira interrogans serovars pomona, canicola, hardjo, ballum, icterohaemorrhagiae, grippotyphosa using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The samples were considered positive if ³50% of agglutination of leptospire in a dilution test serum of ³l:100 were observed. Sera with positive results were titrated against reacting antigens in serial two-fold dilutions from l: 100 to 1:1600. Antibodies against one or more serovars were detected in 27 (14.9%) sera at dilution ³1:100. Antibodies against more than one serovar were found in 5 (18.5%) positive sera. Among the positive sera, antibodies were most frequent to serovar pomona (43.8%) followed by canicola (21.9%), icterohaemorrhagiae (12.5%), grippotyphosa (9.4%), ballum and hardjo (each of them 6.3%). The results of this survey indicate that leptospiral infection is common in sheep in Ahvaz and that various serovars concur in the etiology.