What do we know about leptospirosis in Alaska?

Not much! Alaska currently is not known to experience adverse wildlife, domestic animal, or human impacts from leptospirosis. However, leptospires are here. There have been some reports of titers (antibodies, which indicate a past infection) in wolves, mountain goats, muskox, grizzly bears, black bears, moose, and caribou in Alaska (Zarnke et al. 2004) (Zarnke 2000) (Zarnke 1983). There has been one case of isolation of living leptospiral bacteria from a vole in Alaska (Wood 1974). While it doesn't seem like leptospirosis is having an impact on Alaska today, as the climate continues to warm, conditions might favor it's spread. It's important to figure out the status of this disease so that we can be prepared if clinical disease emerges here.