SEROLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANINE LEPTOSPIROSI S IN CHILLAN, CHILE

Sixty samples of dog serum were tested by the microagglutination test (M.A.T.). They came from dogs chosen at random and attended at the Vet erinary Hospital, University of Concepcion. Of the samples tested, 23 (38.33%) were positive to leptospira, 14 of which (60.87%) were at the 1:100 title, 7 (30.43%) at the 1:500 and 2 (8.70%) at the 1:1000 titl e. Twelve serovars of Leptospira were used in the survey. The highest frequencies were found for canicola and pyrogenes serovars, with 17.39 % and 13.04% of the samples respectively. The serovar icterohaemorrhag iae was not detected. The 12 to 46 month age group contained 60.86% of the positive observations. No positives were detected in the 0-5 mont h age group. A significantly higher number of positive samples was obs erved in male dogs. 60.87% of positive individuals were not clinically diagnosed.