Year 2011 - Volume 31, Number 5


Title
Pulmonary hemorrhage in horses seropositive to leptospirosis, 31(5):413-415
Authors

Abstract
ABSTRACT.- Hamond C., Martins G., Reis J., Kraus E., Pinna A. & Lilenbaum W. 2011. Pulmonary hemorrhage in horses seropositive to leptospirosis. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 31(5):413-415. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ 24210-030, Brazil. E-mail: mipwalt@vm.uff.br

The aim of this study was to verify the occurrence and severity of pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) in horses seropositive or not to leptospirosis. A total of 84 training horses were tested for anti-Leptospira antibodies and submitted to endoscopy of the upper airways 30-60 minutes after exercise. Forty-nine (46.4%) horses were seropositive (titer³100) to serovar Copenhageni. Seventeen horses (20.2%) presented PH in different grades, significantly more commonly observed in seropositives (34.7%) than seronegatives (8.6%) (p<0.05), and also more severe in the first. Additionally, a seropositive horse is 4.26 times more likely (OR) to present PH than a seronegative one. Fifteen days after specific antibiotic treatment for leptospirosis a significant improvement in grade of hemorrhage was observed. Therefore it is suggested that leptospirosis may potentiate the severity of PH and that specific antibiotic treatment directed towards leptospirosis may help to control the disease.
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Colégio Brasileiro de Patologia Animal CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ISI Web of Knowledge SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online Banco de Dados Bibliográficos da USP UnB - Universidade de Brasília UFRRJ - Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro CFMV - Conselho Federal de Medicina Veterinária