Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Alpaca health · Infectious diseases

Leptospirosis in Alpacas

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team6 peer-reviewed references
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Book a vet visit soon

Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.

A bacterial infection spread in urine of wildlife and livestock that can cause abortion and kidney disease.

Category
Infectious diseases
Urgency
Book a vet visit soon
Spreads to people
Yes — see below

Signs & symptoms

  • Abortion or weak crias
  • Fever, lethargy
  • Kidney problems
  • Jaundice (rare)

What causes it?

Leptospira bacteria in water and mud contaminated by urine from rodents, wildlife or livestock.

Risk factors

  • Wet pastures and ponds
  • Rodent and wildlife contamination of feed

How vets diagnose it

Blood antibody tests and PCR.

Treatment

Antibiotics chosen by your vet.

Prevention

  • Rodent control
  • Fence off ponds
  • Discuss vaccination with your vet

Can people catch it?

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis — avoid contact with urine and wear gloves.

Background

Leptospirosis is a blood infection caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira that can infect humans, dogs, rodents, and many other wild and domesticated animals. Signs and symptoms can range from none to mild to severe. Weil's disease, the acute, severe form of leptospirosis, causes the infected individual to become jaundiced, develop kidney failure, and bleed. Bleeding from the lungs associated with leptospirosis is known as severe pulmonary haemorrhage syndrome.From Wikipedia — “Leptospirosis”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Research & references

PubMed lists 9 peer-reviewed papers on this topic in camelids. The most relevant include:

  1. Llama reproduction. Johnson LW The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice, 1989. PubMed 2647232 · DOI · cited 16×
  2. Infectious causes of reproductive loss in camelids. Tibary A, Fite C, Anouassi A et al. Theriogenology, 2006. PubMed 16697037 · DOI · Free full textOpen access · cited 91×
  3. Health impact evaluation of alternative management systems in vicuña (Vicugna vicugna mensalis) populations in Peru. Risco-Castillo V, Wheeler JC, Rosadio R et al. Tropical animal health and production, 2014. PubMed 24492977 · DOI · cited 6×
  4. ACUTE CLINICAL LEPTOSPIROSIS (GRIPPOTYPHOSA SEROVAR) IN AN ADULT DROMEDARY CAMEL (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS). Gyimesi ZS, Burns RB, Erol E et al. Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 2015. PubMed 26352970 · DOI · cited 2×
  5. Recovery of Arcobacter spp. from nonlivestock species. Wesley IV, Schroeder-Tucker L Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 2011. PubMed 22950328 · DOI · cited 6×
  6. Leptospirosis and coccidial infection in a guanaco. Hodgin C, Schillhorn van Veen TW, Fayer R et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1984. PubMed 6511616 · cited 10×

Frequently asked questions

What is leptospirosis in alpacas?
A bacterial infection spread in urine of wildlife and livestock that can cause abortion and kidney disease.
What are the signs of leptospirosis?
Abortion or weak crias, fever, lethargy, kidney problems and jaundice (rare).
How do you prevent leptospirosis?
Rodent control. Fence off ponds. Discuss vaccination with your vet.
Is leptospirosis an emergency?
Book a vet visit soon. Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.
Can people catch it from alpacas?
Leptospirosis is a zoonosis — avoid contact with urine and wear gloves.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.