What is Leptospirosis?

  The term leptospirosis will crop up in dead fox post mortem reports. An explanation might ease any confusion and as dogs and foxes are canids this from the American Veterinary Medical Association explains things https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/leptospirosis#:~:text=Dogs%20can%20become%20infected%20and,or%20carcasses%3B%20and%20rarely%2C%20through

"Dogs can become infected and develop leptospirosis if their mucous membranes (or skin with any wound, such as a cut or scrape) come into contact with infected urine, urine-contaminated soil, water, food or bedding; through a bite from an infected animal; by eating infected tissues or carcasses; and rarely, through breeding. It can also be passed through the placenta from the mother dog to the puppies."

Photo from Clinicians Brief https://www.cliniciansbrief.com/article/leptospirosis-dogs

The subject of leptospirosis will become prominent in the end report of the Bristol Fox Deaths Project report.