The bacteriological prevalence of leptospiral infection in cattle and buffaloes in West Malaysia

Abstract

SUMMARYA cross-sectional bacteriological survey of cattle in West Malaysia revealed 14·4% (32/222) had leptospiral infection. Isolates were obtained from all except one herd with prevalence of infection in herds ranging from 0–44·8%. A small number of buffalo urine samples were examined and all of them were found to be negative. A leptospiral isolate obtained from a bovine kidney proved to be n new scrovar ofLeplospira interrogansand the nameunipertamawas assigned to it. Six other leptospiral serovars were isolated, namelycanicola, australis, javanica,ballum, pomonaandhardjo. All six serovars were isolated for the first time in cattle in Malaysia.Cattle in Malaysia appear to be the maintenance host for serovarhardjo. The presence of the other serovars in cattle was probably duo to contact with the maintenance hosts, pigs for serovarpomonaand rodents for the other three serovars. It appears that the epidemiology of leptospiral infection in cattle in Malaysia is similar to that reported overseas.