The association of Leptospira interrogans and equine uveitis

by: Marie Wrightman

Equine recurrent uveitis is a disease causing inflammation of any part of the uveal tract in the eye of the horse.  Uveitis has the potential to cause serious permanent damage to the structures of the eye and may cause blindness.  The onset of this disease can be triggered by a bacterial infection of Leptospira interrogans, an organism found abundantly in contaminated water from the Genesee Valley region.  The bacteria persist in the lument of the nephritic tubules in infected animals and are shed in the urine where they have the capability of being passed to a new host.  Since a vaccine does not yet exist for Leptospira interrogans, further research is critical to reduce the risk of infection that may lead to recurrent uveitis in horses.