Serological evaluation of Leptospira interrogans in horses from an equestrian center in Linares province, Chile/ Evaluación serológica de Leptospira interrogans en equinos pertenecientes a un centro ecuestre de la provincia de Linares, Chile/Avaliacao serologica da Leptospira interrogans em equinos pertencentes a um centro equestre da provincia de Linares, Chile

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease characterized in horses by nonspecific clinical signs such as fever, anemia, depression; and specific signs such as abortion, neonatal death, and recurrent uveitis. The objective was to determine seroprevalence in 55 horses from the equestrian center of Linares Artillery School, located in the Maule region. Serum samples were obtained from animals of both sexes and several ages. Samples were analyzed by Microscopic agglutination (MAT) for nine serovars with dilution titles of 1:100 or higher. The overall seropositivity was 65.4%, distributed in the following serovars: autumnalis (54.5%), bratislava (52.7%), canicola (20%), copenhageni (12.7%), and hardjo (7.3%); whereas reacting sera were not obtained forpomona, grippothyphosa, ballum, or bataviae. Finally, no statistically significant difference was observed between sex or age (P [greater than or equal to] 0.05). Seropositivity was lower in older than in younger horses. Key words equine, leptospirosis, microscopic agglutination. La leptospirosis es una enfermedad bacteriana caracterizada por producir clinicamente en equinos signos clinicos inespecificos como fiebre, anemia, depresion, y otros especificos, como aborto, muerte neonatal y uveitis recurrente. La finalidad del trabajo fue determinar la seroprevalencia en 55 equinos pertenecientes al Centro Ecuestre de la Escuela Artilleria de Linares, Region del Maule. Las muestras (suero), fueron obtenidas de animales sin distincion de sexo o edad y analizadas mediante el metodo de Aglutinacion Microscopica (MAT) para nueve serovares a titulos de dilucion de 1/100 o superiores. Determinando una seropositividad general del 65,4%, distribuido en los serovares: Autumnalis (54,5%), Bratislava (52,7%), Canicola (20%), Copenhagen (12,7%) y Hardjo (7,3%), mientras que para Pomona, Grippothyphosa, Bataviae y Ballum no se obtuvieron sueros reaccionantes. Finalmente, no se observo diferencia estadistica significativa (P [greater than or equal to] 0,05) en los individuos reaccionantes segun sexo y edad, demostrandose que a mayor edad menor es la seropositividad. Palabras clave aglutinacion microscopica, equino, leptospirosis. A leptospirose e uma doenca bacteriana caracterizada por produzir em equinos alguns signos clinicos inespecificos, como febre, anemia, depressao; e outros especificos, como aborto, morte neonatal e uveite recorrente. A finalidade deste trabalho foi determinar a soroprevalencia em 55 equinos pertencentes ao Centr