SURVEY OF LEPTOSPIRA SEROVARS IN A DAIRY CATTLE HERD IN PIAUÍ STATE, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT This study aimed to report the leptospira serovar varieties in animals from a farm located in the county of Buriti dos Lopes, within the so-called “milk basin” of Parnaíba, state of Piauí, Brazil. Samples of blood were collected from 18 Girolando cows who aborted between July 2004 and April 2005, and a sample was taken from a breeder bull. The samples were subjected to the microscopic agglutination test (SAM), using live antigens of 23 pathogenic leptospira serovars. Serum samples were screened in the dilution of 1:100. Data analysis revealed that 83.33% (15/18) of the samples showed anti-leptospira agglutinins, of which 53.33% were for the Hardjoprajitno serovar (8/15), 6.67% each for Hardjobovis (1/15), Wolffi (1/15) and Shermani (1/15), along with 4 (4/15) coagglutinations. The breeder-bull sample showed anti-leptospira agglutinins for serovar Hardjobovis with titration of 1:400, suggesting that this animal had participated in the spread of the infection in the herd.