Bull urine and semen as potential vectors of disease transmission for Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo: SupplementaryTables.xlsx & Supplementary Figure 1
Year: 2025
Type: supplementary-materials
Abstract: ABSTRACTBovine leptospirosis can result in infertility, abortion, placentitis, weak offspring, stillbirths, and decreased milk production. The leading cause of bovine leptospirosis globally is Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo. Asymptomatic cattle with leptospirosis serve as reservoir hosts of infection that can shed infectious leptospires for months to years. Sites of bacterial colonization include the kidney and/or the genital tract in both cows and bulls. In this observational study, we investigated leptospirosis in a herd of asymptomatic bulls; 24.1% (14/58) were shedding leptospires via urine as confirmed by lipL32 rtPCR. The viability of leptospires in selected rtPCR-positive bull urine samples was confirmed by culture. Given that bovine semen may also act as a vector of disease transmission, we investigated frozen semen samples for evidence of leptospires; 1.5% (4/268) were lipL32 rtPCR positive and, of these, one was culture positive. All isolates cultured from bull urine or semen were classified as L. borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo. The viability and infectivity of the semen isolate was confirmed in the hamster model of leptospirosis. Our results report for the first time the ability to culture serovar Hardjo directly from frozen semen and highlight the potential role for bull urine and semen in the transmission of bovine leptospirosis.
Source: Figshare
Author: Nally, Jarlath
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7084079300
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