Leptospiral antibodies in domestic animals in Tyrol.

Results are presented of a serological examination of 1,547 domestic animals (cattle, pig, sheep, horse, goat, dog, cat) from 9 Tyrolian districts (Austria), performed in order to disclose the incidence of leptospirosis. Completely significant titres were domonstrated by means of the MAL test in the serotypes icterohaemorrhagiae or copenhageni, sorex-jalna, bratislava, sejroe and saxkoebing. In addition, antibodies were confirmed against L. bataviae, L. pomona, L. tarassovi and L. bulgarica, but the titres were insignificant. Of the animals examined, 7.2% gave positive reactions in titres of 1: 800 and above (for dogs and cats 1: 100 and more); positive reactions were obtained from 8.8% of cattle serum, 6.8% of pig-, 1.1% of sheep-, 3.3% of dog-, 18.2% of cat serum. A positive reaction was obtained with the serum of one out of the 9 horses examined, the sera of the two goats examined were negative. he percentage of positivity in animals from the individual districts ranged from 1.0 to 17.0, and variations were found also in the distribution of serotypes in the individual districts. The results indicate that the percentage of positivity in domestic animals from Tyrol decreases as the altitude of the localities increases.