Abstract

A serological and bacteriological study was performed in Guilan industrial slaughter house, in Rasht, North of Iran in 2009. To investigate the seroprevalence of leptospirosis in slaughtered cattle in Guilan, 59 and 39 random serum samples were collected from cows and bulls, respectively. None of the cattles was vaccinated against leptospirosis. Also urine samples were collected from all of the blood-sampled cattle and cultured. All serum samples were serologically tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT), as a standard method for serological diagnosis of leptospirosis. The serum samples were tested for antibodies against eight live antigens of Leptospira interrogans serovars: Australis, Autumnalis, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona and Sejroe. The lowest dilution that each serum was considered positive was 1:100. The results of this study showed that 37 (37.8%) animals had a positive reaction against one or more serovars. The most prevalent Leptospira serovars was Pomona (49.0%). One leptospiral organism was isolated from 98 urine samples of cows and bulls. The results of this study indicates that leptospiral infection is magnified in cattle in Rasht, and cattle have a major role in maintaining Pomona serovar; indeed they are a potential zoonotic risk to slaughter house workers, meat inspectors, milkers and farmers.

Key words: Iran, Rasht, serology, bacteriology, cattle, leptospirosis.