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Leptospirosis in Horses
1. Leptospirosis - Equine
Recurrent Uveitis
AKA: Moon blindness
or Periodic Ophthalmia
Post infection of the bacteria
Leptospirosis causes Equine Recurrent
Uveitis (ERU) aka: Moon blindness or
Periodic Ophthalmia
Carrier mammals shed Leptospirosis through
urine
Can infect humans
The bacteria enters a new host when the
individual comes in contact with contaminated
water
– It enters via breaks in the skin or mucus membranes
The Bacteria
Treatment/Prevention
Early intervention
increases chances of
good prognosis
No specific test to
accurately diagnose
Leptospirosis Uveitis
Diagnosis
Classic
Leptospirosis
is seen in foals
and rarely
adult horses.
Can cause late
gestations
abortions
ERU is characterized by:
Time when the vascular tunic
or uvea of the eye are inflamed
fluctuating with symptom-free
periods that exhibit low or no
inflammation
This condition is painful
May develop weeks to months
after the initial infection of
Leptospirosis
NO vaccine for horses
Treatment:
o Streptomycin and/or Penicillin is the
most common
o Tetracyclines can be an alternative
Prevention:
o Good Husbandry
o Good hygiene practices
o Vaccinate other animals on premises
o Minimize contact with rodents and
wildlife carriers
o Isolate infected horses
Effect of Leptospirosis on:
Natural Carriers Non-Carriers
Rats, raccoons, possums and other
rodents – No effect
Other mammals - mild reaction can
have minimal consequences or can lead
to tissue damage, pulmonary
hemorrhage and death
Symptoms of Leptospirosis
Clinical Signs Severe Signs
Low-grade fever, lethargic, and anorexia Redness of eye, jaundice, anemia, red
spots on mucosa, renal failure may occur,
and general depression
Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)
Early signs: Constriction of pupil,
spasmodic winking, tearing,
photophobia, edema of the
eyelid, swollen eye
Later signs: Foggy eye and Pus in the
eye
Source: Verma, Ashutosh, Brian
Stevenson, and Ben Adler. "Download
PDFs." Veterinary Microbiology 167.1-2
(2013): 61-66. Leptospirosis in Horses.
Elsevier. Web. 11 Feb. 2015