The Igh Podcast

Leptospirosis is an important disease worldwide. Not only does it affect seven to ten million people annually, it also infects animals causing economic and personal loses. The disease itself is caused by a genus of bacteria called Leptospira with up to 13 different genetic types of Leptospira able to cause disease. In the UK, an important reservoir for leptospirosis is cattle. Not only does this cause problems in terms of cattle health, but can also pose a public health risk to the farmers who look after them. In terms of cattle health, leptospirosis can be tricky to diagnose and treat. The symptoms, such as reduced milk production, abortion, weak calves and other fertility problems, are not unique to leptospirosis so can be challenging to diagnose. What’s more, not all cattle with show obvious clinical signs with some affected by subclinical disease which is difficult to detect. Further complicating the picture is the fact that Leptospira can live in the kidneys of recovered cows for years without causing