Serological prevalence of bovine leptospirosis in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Serum samples obtained from 1.537 cattle in the 14 local government areas (LGAs) of Plateau State of Nigeria were screened for the presence of leptospiral antibodies using 13 serovars in a modified microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Two hundred and twenty-two (14.4 p.100) of the cattle tested had leptospiral antibody titres of 1:100 or higher to one or more of the test antigens. The prevalence rates of antibodies to individual serovars were: hardjo (35.6 p.100), pomona (11.7 p.100), pyrogenes (11.7 p.100), canicola (9.5 p.100), grippotyphosa (7.7 p.100), bratislava (5.9 p.100), icterohaemorrhagiae (5.9 p.100), ballum (4.5 p.100), autumnalis (3.6 p.100), bataviae (2.3 p.100) and tarassovi (1.8 p.100). The serological prevalence of bovine leptospirosis in the various local government areas of Plateau State of Nigeria differed significantly (P less than 0.05; X2).