Experimental canine leptospirosis. Evaluation of leptospira Patoc I, Rufino and Buenos Aires as antigen in both microscopic agglutination and complement fixation tests

Abstract

The antibody evolution in two groups of dogs inoculated with a pathogenic leptospiras icterohaemorrhagiae and canicola was followed by microscopic agglutination and complement fixation tests in order to avaluate the usefulness of leptospiras Patoc I, Rufino and Buenos Aires as screening antigen in the diagnosis of leptospiral infection. Results showed that the antigens Patoc I and Rufino were inefficient in providing detected circulation antibodies tittles in experimentally infected animals. However, when, the Buenos Aires antigen was used, 87% of the animals infected with serovar icterohaemorrhagiae and 80% of those infected with serovar canicola showed significant tittles of agglutination and complement fixing bodies.