Update on leptospirosis in dogs

摘要

Leptospirosis is an important bacterial disease of dogs. Infection occurs through contact with infected urine. It additionally presents a public health concern due to its zoonotic nature. Leptospira can affect multiple organ systems, but the classicalpresentation is renal or hepatic dysfunction. However, other manifestations have since been recognised. Leptospirosis is perceived to, generally, be an acute illness but there are reports of chronic forms of disease, Disease can range from mild to severe, multi-organ failure or death. One of the key issues with leptospirosis is the vast range of tests available for diagnosis. Timing and choice of test provides a continued challenge to clinicians. For the past 50 years, a bivalent vaccine has been utilised for protection in canines. However, several years ago tri- and tetravalent vaccines were released to the veterinary market in response to emerging concerns to changing patterns of leptospirosis.