Regional Mountain Conference

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., that can cause reproductive disorders in cattle, thereby leading to considerable economic losses. The aim of this study was to systematically assess the prevalence of Leptospira spp. antibodies in cattle from Lower Austria and Vorarlberg and to identify potential risk factors for pathogen exposure. A total of 2339 serum samples collected in 2020 and 2021 were tested against eight serovars using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The estimated mean true prevalence averaged 4.8% (95% CI [0.3–11.1]) in Lower Austria and 63.6% (95% CI [52.3–76.1]) in Vorarlberg. In Vorarlberg, the highest prevalences were found for the serovars Hardjo, Saxkoebing and Tarassovi. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) modelling identified alpine grazing, farm size and age category as significant risk factors for seropositivity, whereas location of cattle at sampling, farm type, numerical age, season and year of sampling showed no relevant effect. The results highlight a marked regional heterogeneity in Leptospira spp. exposure and underline the need for ongoing monitoring. Due to the zoonotic nature of the disease a One Health approach is necessary to control it at the human-animal interface.