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Objective: Detection of anti-Leptospira antibody in serum
of cattle in Ahwaz. Design: Field and serological study.
Animals: 645 cattle.
Procedure: Blood samples were taken from jugular vein
of 645 cattle (588 male, 57 female). Sera were stored at -
20°C until ready for use. They were tested, using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) against 6 live
antigens of leptospiral interogans serotypes. Antigens used
were L.I. gripotyphosa, L.I. hardjo, L.I.
icterohemorrhagica, L.I. pomona, L.I. ballum and L.I.
canicola. Cultures were considered positive if 50ko¾1 or
more of agglutination of leptospires in a dilution of test
serum of 1:100 or greater were found. Statistical analysis: Chi- square test.
Results: Out of the sera samples, 347 (53.79 ko¾1) were
positive for at least one leptospire with percentage distribution among the highest number of reactors 30.07 ko¾1 was due to L.I. gripotyphosa followed by in
descending L.I. Pomona (18.33ko¾1), L.I. canicola
(15.53 ko¾1), L.I. hardjo (14.35 ko¾1), L.I. icterohemorrhagica (11 .55ko ko¾1) and L.I. ballum
(10.l6ko¾l). Totally 35.16ko¾1 of srea showed evidence
of mixed infection. In positive sera the antibody titers of
1:100 (44.42ko¾l), 1:200 (38.44ko¾l), 1:400 (14.54ko¾1) and 1: 800 (1.20ko¾1) were detected. The prevalence of
reactors to leptospiral antigen did not differ with the sex of
animal but had significant difference between industrial and non- industrial farms. Conclusion: In contrast to other studies in Iran, the
Percentage of prevalence of leptospiral infection in Ahwaz
was higher. It may probably due to climatic condition because the weather in Ahwaz is commonly warmer than
other cities of Iran that studied previously. The high
prevalence of infection and dominant titer of 1:100 reveal that leptospiral infection in Ahwaz is
endemicj.Fac. Vet.Med. Univ.Tehran. 60,1:7-14,2005.