Serologic study of feline leptospirosis in Tehran, Iran

Background and Objectives: Leptospirosis is considered to be the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world and can infect a wide range of animals. Although the prevalence of clinical leptospirosis in cats is low, they are probably exposed to leptospires excreted by wild life, rodents etc. This study was performed to determine the serologic reaction of cats to leptospires and their importance in transmission of this zoonotic disease in Tehran. Materials and Methods: Serum samples were collected from 111 stray and household cats and were tested for the presence of antibodies against leptospirosis by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). Results: Thirty (27 percent-19 stray and 11 household) of the 111 cats reacted with the various leptospiral serotypes. The dilutions of sera with positive results ranged from 1/100 to 1/600. Serologic reaction was more prevalent in domestic cats (p=0.0067). In stray cats, 18 cases were positive against L. interrogans serovar Canicola (94.7 percent) and one (5.3 percent) against L. interrogans serovar Pomona. In the household group, 6 cats (54.5 percent) reacted with L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo, 3 cats (27.3 percent) with L. interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, one (9 percent) with L. interrogans serovar Grippotyphosa and one with L. interrogans serovar Canicola. Conclusion: Cats can be exposed to leptospires and in optimal conditions they can infect the environment or transmit the disease to contact people.