Ballum was the predominant serovar detected in freeliving vervet monkeys following capture. Severe and
sometimes fatal clinical disease has been observed
in capuchins, squirrel monkeys, marmosets, tamarins
and macaques with the disease spectrum resembling
that seen in humans. Severe icteric, anicteric, and
pulmonary forms were described and meningoencephalitis and abortion has also been reported.
Leptospirosis in domestic and
wild felids
Ellis (2015) reports that cats are regarded as being
very resistant to leptospirosis and although significant
seroprevalences have been reported in various cat
populations very few reports of clinical disease are,
however, present. Attempts at experimental infection
have mostly failed. Evidence of renal carriage in
cat populations in Reunion Island and Taiwan have
recently been reported to be a 29 % and 67 % PCR
positive rates respectively.
A similar situation in wild felidae is presumed, with
only the Iberian lynx being associated with significant
clinical disease. Serological surveys carried out in
Brazil revealed exposure of captive jaguars to the
serovars Castellonis, Hardjo, and Copenhageni whilst
Pomona was the most prevalent serovar found in
free-living sampled jaguars. A more recent study by
Onuma et al (2015) reported high antibody titres to
serovar Canicola in two jaguars. The main natural
reservoir is the dog, suggesting an occasional contact
between jaguars and domestic dogs.
Leptospirosis in camelids
Ellis (2105) quoting several studies and authors
mentioning that high seroprevalences have been
reported in alpacas, vicunas and llamas and lower
seroprevalences in guanacos in South American
countries. Seroprevalence rates have been low and
ranging from 0–12 % in dromedaries from North
Africa and the Arabian peninsula. A seroprevalence of
50% has been reported in Rajasthan.
Leptospirosis in feral pigs and wild boar
Feral swine (Sus scrofa) have markedly increased their
range and population sizes by continually expanding
into urban areas in many areas of the world in the
last 2-3 decades. As consequence their ranges
nowadays may overlap to a significant extent with
domestic swine and human activities. Transmission of
Leptospira sp is becoming of increasing concern.
Sera from 2055 feral swine in the United States were
examined by Pedersen et al (2014) for antibody
presence to six serovars of Leptospira and 13% of
all samples tested positive for at least one serovar,
suggesting that Leptospira infection is common in
feral swine.
Vale-gonçalves et al (2014) quotes several authors
whom have reported seropositivity to different
serovars of Leptospira sp in wild boar populations
worldwide. Positive titres to tarassovi have been
reported to be frequent and the most reactive
serovar observed in wild boar from Slovenia. Serovar
Pomona is the most frequently reported in wild boar
populations in Spain and Germany and the second
most common in Croatia.
In a study by Vale-gonçalves et al (2014) they obtained
serum samples during the 2011 – 2013 hunting
seasons in northern Portugal and screened it against
17 different pathogenic serovars of Leptospira sp.
Seropositivity was detected against nine serovars in
66 (65.4%) of these samples. They found the highest
seroreactivity rates against serovars Tarassovi and
Altodouro (23,8% and 16,8%, respectively), followed
by Autumnalis (7,9%) and Bratislava (6,9%). Age and
the district of origin were identified as risk factors in
contrast to gender.
During the hunting season 2012-2014, 3621 blood
samples from wild boars were collected in Poland
originated from different geographical areas across
Poland. Serum samples were tested for the presence
of specific antibodies to the Leptospira serovars:
Icterohaemorrhagiae, Grippotyphosa, Sejroe,
Tarassovi, Pomona, Canicola, Bratislava, Autumnalis,
Hardjo and Ballum. Antibody titers to all Leptospira
serovars except serovar Ballum were found in 377
serum samples (10.4 %).
Leptos