M.B. DAS GUPTA AND R.L.
SEN
53
Anthony who was treating this pup,
agnosed the case as one of leptospirosis
on clinical grounds. In the light of this
suggestion the following examinations
were undertaken :—
Blood serum was put up for agglutina-
---n test against L. icterohaemorrhagiae
and L. canicola.
The animal was sacrificed. Sections
were taken from liver and were stained
by haematoxylin-eosin for a histo-patho-
ogical study. Portions of the liver and
idneys were ground up and emulsified in
ormal saline. Several preparations of
the emulsion were examined under dark
round illumination for Leptospira. Four
--ng guinea-pigs and three full-grown
ogs (as young dogs were not available
at the time) were inoculated intraperi-
oneally with this emulsion.
RESULTS
Pup.—The serum did not react with
. icterohaemorrhagiae but agglutinated
. canicola in low dilutions (upto 1:40).
his reaction is apparently non-specific,
asmuch as this particular strain has been
und to react with fresh human and
rious animal sera in low dilutions upto
80 [Das Gupta, 1942].
No Leptospiras could be seen in the
ver emulsion in spite of prolonged search.
ection of liver revealed necrosis and
tty degeneration (Plate II fig. 1).
noculated animals:—
(a) Dogs.—All dogs remained alive
and well for three weeks.
(b) Guineapigs.—Out of four guinea-
gs, two developed typical signs of
ptospiral infection. Of these one died
the 17th day of inoculation and on the
xt day the other animal was almost
ing, when it was killed. The liver
nulsion of this animal was found to show
considerable number of actively motile
eptospirae. Also sections were taken
om the liver and stained by Levaditi's
method; these were crammed with Leptos-
rae arranged at the periphery of the
ver cells (Plate II, fig. 2). Heart blood
ntaining a fair number of the organism
was cultured on Vervoort's medium. As
only scanty growth was obtained in this
medium, cultivation on Fletcher's medium
was tried. After repeated subcultivation
in the latter medium there was a luxuriant
growth which was utilized in performing
agglutination tests against various anti-
sera prepared in this laboratory.
Table showing agglutination reaction with
anti-sera prepared against a dog strain,
three human strains and one rat strain.
(The dog strain was obtained from the Lister Institute,
London, and the others were isolated by the authors)
Source of the strain
Leptospira isolated
from Dr Cox's
pup
Anti-sera
Leptospira canicola
(dog strain)
Andamans CH 31=L
grippotyphosa
Andamans CH 11
L. icterohaemorrhagiae
(human strain)
L. icterohaemorrhagiae
(rat strain)
Results
0
0
0
1:10,000
1:10,000
COMMENTS
It will be seen from the foregoing that
in spite of laborious search of the liver
and kidney emulsion of the pup under
dark-ground illumination it was not pos-
sible to demonstrate the Leptospira.
Of the three dogs inoculated with the
emulsion none developed the disease. Out
of four guinea-pigs which received a large
dose of the emulsion, only in two animals
was the infection produced. If only one
animal had been used for the diagnostic
inoculation, as is usually done, the infection
might have possibly been missed. It
follows, therefore, that the isolation of
Leptospira in dogs in some cases at least
may be extremely difficult.
SUMMARY
A case of leptospiral jaundice in the
dog caused by Leptospira icterohaemor-
rhagiae is described.