WildLife Group
of the SAVA
detailed information is available for
farmed red deer in New Zealand,
where serovar Hardjo is most common,
Pomona less common and Copenhageni
uncommon.
Hardjo has also been recovered from
rusa deer while mixed Hardjo and
Copenhageni infections have been
observed in some animals. Experimental
infection of pronghorns with Hardjo has
been described. Pomona strains have
been the most common isolates from
deer and reported in red deer, whitetailed deer and rusa deer.
Clinical disease and signs
Ellis (2015) refers to reports of clinical disease in a
diverse range of zoo animals, black rhinosceros, a
giant anteater, a polar bear, black tailed deer and a
wild dog. Leptospirosis is recognized as one of the
most common causes of stranding and mortality in
the Californian sea lion. Disease is characterized by
liver and kidney infection resulting in acute renal
failure and death. Other pinnipeds also known to
be affected includes northern fur seals, northern
elephant seals and harbor seals
Ellis (2015) reports that although limited information
is available in buffalo the situation in domestic buffalo
is very closely resembling that seen in cattle. High
seroprevalences have been found in virtually all
investigations and it is quoted that acute disease has
been associated with jaundice, fatal haemorrhagic
syndrome and agalactia with abortion as a sequel in
this species.
Information on clinical leptospirosis in camels is
lacking but abortion is a feature and leptospires were
demonstrated in 8/49 aborted foetuses (7 by PCR and
culture and 1 by PCR only).
In farmed red deer in New Zealand serovar Hardjo is
subclinical, with losses between birth and weaning
and poorer live weight gain being the only possible
clinical effects identified.
Pomona is more likely to cause clinical disease,
10
and Copenhageni infection has been associated
with clinical disease. Infection has been identified
in a foetus from a herd with a Hardjo titer. Pomona
infection has been implicated in acute hemolytic
disease of red deer, mule deer and white-tailed deer.
Conclusion
The One Health operational concept has been
promoted and its advocates has defined it as a
collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working
locally, nationally and globally to achieve optimal
health of people, animals and the environment. It
has impetus in the history of Ebola hemorrhagic
fever and avian influenza epidemics - both diseases
in which whose transmission mechanisms exist at the
animal-human-ecosystem interface - both examples of
diseases which has a negative impact on human and
animal health and related to economic issues.
Globally leptospirosis is widespread and considered
as emerging or re-emerging, or neglected in different
geographical areas, and in different time spans,
in both socio-economic and political context. By
estimation there may be well over 1,700,000 severe
cases of leptospirosis worldwide. The incidence of
human disease in the Americas, as example, is high,
estimated at 12.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants,
compared with a global incidence of 5.1 cases per
100,000 inhabitants. The question raised is if there
will be a renewed global interest in leptospirosis and
in particular in the role that wildlife may play.