OCCURRENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO LEPTOSPIRA IN SMALL MAMMALS IN EASTERN SLOVAKIA

During the five years (1991-1995) mostly free living small mammals wer e examined serologically for the presence of antibodies to leptospira. Serological examinations were used by Kmety and Bakoss (1978). Altoge ther, 2 493 individuals of 22 species were examined, an important part of host material (69.6%) was caught in two lowland areas which are in tensively cultivated landscapes (East Slovakian Lowland and Kosicka ko tlina basin). The remaining material comes from submontane areas with less agricultural activities. Apodemus flavicollis, A. agrarius, Cleth rionomys glareolus were the most frequently examined species. Antibodi es to leptospira were demonstrated in 123 mammals (i. e. in 5.0% of ho sts) of eleven species. The highest percentage of positive hosts were recorded in 1993 (8.8%) and the lowest (2.6%) in 1995, but the examine d samples were different in size and structure of host species. In six most dominant species higher values of antibodies to leptospira were detected in Microtus arvalis (9.2%), followed by Apodemus flavicollis (5.6%), A. agrarius (5.4%) and A. microps (4.9%). The lowest values we re found in Clethrionomys glareolus (2.5%) and Sorer araneus (2.3%). I n examined hosts we found antibodies to six serovars of leptospira. Th e most frequently observed antibodies were to leptospira of the serova r L. grippotyphosa (63.2%) and leptospira of the serovar L. sejroe (26 .4%). We recorded nonsignificant differences between the values of pre valence to antibodies in small mammal communities from lowland and sub montane areas, resp. Our results confirmed differences in the leptospi ra serovar structure in small mammals of Bohemia and Slovakia, they we re connected with different historical development of boths areas. Com paring our results with previous examinations (about 20 years ago) in small mammals from eastern Slovakia, a decline of positivity and lower number of leptospira serovars were recorded.