Leptospira – Antibodies

serum or EDTA plasma or heparin plasma 0.5 ml
horse: also intraocular fluid/vitreous body (if ERU signs are present)

Microagglutination

1 - 2 days

• Initially, antibody titres only confirm pathogen contact. Many animals are seropositive without showing any clinical signs. Generally, titres > 1:400 or a three- to fourfold titre increase in a paired serum sample at an interval of 14 days are considered positive. Peracutely infected animals only show low or even negative antibody titres. Furthermore, if animals have already been treated with antibiotics at a very early stage, the titre often does not increase as expected.
• For acutely affected animals, direct detection from urine and blood is recommended.
• Horse: Serum antibody titres have no relevance with regard to ERU.