Studies on Leptospiral Antibody in Korean Cattle and Pigs

Leptospira 속균(屬菌)에 대한 한우(韓牛)와 돈(豚)의 혈중항체조사(血中抗體調査)

Investigation of leptospiral antibody in Korean cattle and pigs was carried out from February to October, 1971. Ten different living antigens, namely L. icterohaemorrhagiae, L. canicola, L. antumnalis, L. hebdomadis, L. australis A, L. pomona, L. pyrogenes, L. grippotyphosa, L. bataviae and L. javanica, were used. A total of 590 Korean cattle and 460 pig blood samples collected from Seoul Majang-dong slaughterhouse were tested by the rapid microscopic agglutination test. Throughout the studies the following results were obtained and summarized. 1. Of 590 serum samples of Korean cattle 51 were positive(8.64%). 2. Of 460 serum samples of pigs 27 were positive (5.87%). 3. Of 51 positive cattle samples, 29(4.92%) showed antibody to a serotype of L. icterohaemorrhagiae and 18(3.0%) to L. canicola, and 4 (0.68%) to L. pomona. Eight of L. icterohaemorrhagiae positive samples showed a cross reaction to L. canicola. 4. Of 27 positive pig samples, 14(3.04%) showed antibody to L. ictereohaemorrhagiae and 7(1.52%) to L. grippotyphosa. 4(0.87%) to L. canicola, 2(0.43%) to L. pomona. Two of L. canicola positive samples showed a cross reaction to L. grippotyphosa. 5. Serum samples of seven pigs, showing antibody positive to L. grippotyphosa were first observed in Korea. 6. Infection rate of bovine and porcine leptospirosis, in Korea, appeared to be lower than that of Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.