Infection of free-living carnivores with leptospires of the Australis serogroup.

Leptospires belonging to the Australis serogroup were isolated from badgers (Meles meles), mink (Lutreola lutreola) and a fox (Vulpes vulpes). Most isolates were identified by cross-agglutination absorption as serovar muenchen but one isolate from a fox from Surrey and one isolate from a badger from Northern Ireland were identified as serovar bratislava. Maintenance of serovar muenchen by a wide range of free-living species is an ecological condition unique to Great Britain.