Chronic hepatitis associated with Leptospiral infection in vaccinated beagles

Sixteen juvenile Beagle dogs originating from a single breeding colony and regularly vaccinated against Leptospira interrogans (serogroups Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae) developed a clinical syndrome characterized by retarded growth, weight loss and often ascites. Over a 10-month period, postmort...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of comparative pathology 1997-11, Vol.117 (4), p.311-328
Main Authors: Adamus, C., Buggin-Daubié, M., Izembart, A., Sonrier-Pierre, C., Guigand, L., Masson, M.-T., André-Fontaine, G., Wyers, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bacterial Vaccines - adverse effects
Bacterial Vaccines - immunology
Dog Diseases - immunology
Dog Diseases - pathology
Dogs
Female
Hepatitis, Chronic - immunology
Hepatitis, Chronic - pathology
Hepatitis, Chronic - veterinary
Leptospira interrogans - growth & development
Leptospira interrogans - immunology
Leptospirosis - immunology
Leptospirosis - pathology
Leptospirosis - veterinary
Male
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Sixteen juvenile Beagle dogs originating from a single breeding colony and regularly vaccinated against Leptospira interrogans (serogroups Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae) developed a clinical syndrome characterized by retarded growth, weight loss and often ascites. Over a 10-month period, postmortem examinations were performed on all affected dogs. Gross lesions were confined to the liver which was often firm, tan-coloured and mottled. Microscopically, hepatic lesions ranged from those of severe chronic hepatitis to mild diffuse hepatocellular vacuolation, with bile statis, occasional scattered lymphocytic aggregates and haemosiderin granulomas. Special stains and electron microscopy revealed spirochaetes within bile canaliculi. The genus Leptospira was recognized by immunohistochemical methods in nine dogs. Leptospires were isolated from six dogs, but serological tests failed to detect significant titres of antibody, to L. interrogans in these animals. A serological survey of 37 kennelmates demonstrated that 20 dogs had high titres of serogroup Australis leptospiral antibody, which could not have resulted from vaccination. These findings strongly suggest a connection between the presence of leptospires and the hepatic lesions.
ISSN:0021-9975
1532-3129
DOI:10.1016/S0021-9975(97)80079-5