The genus Leptospira is composed of pathogenic and saprophytic spirochetes. Pathogenic Leptospira is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a globally spread neglected disease. A key ecological feature of some pathogenic species is their ability to survive both within and outside the host. For most leptospires, the ability to persist outside the host is associated with biofilm formation, a mos...

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease whose transmission is linked through multiple factors in the animal-human-ecosystem interface. The data on leptospirosis reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries/sovereign territories from 2005-2011 were mapped, showing a wide distribution of outbreaks in the region. Tropical terrestr...

BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira species. A major challenge of this disease is the application of basic research to improve diagnostic methods and related vaccine development. Outer membrane proteins of Leptospira are potential candidates that may be useful as diagnostic or immunogenic factors in treatment and analysis of the disease. OBJECTIVES...

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis with ubiquitous distribution caused by spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira sp., endemic mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of world capable infecting domestic animals, free-living humans. Although well documented terrestrial animals humans, little information available on its impact marine animals. There are few studies assessing cetaceans’ health s...

We found antibodies to leptospires in 25 (18%) of 141 wild boars from Berlin (95% confidence interval 12-25). Seropositivity was associated with chronic interstitial nephritis (odds ratio 10.5; p=0.01), and leptospires were detected in kidney tissues. Wild boars represent a potential source for human leptospirosis in urban environments.

Leptospires were detectable by light microscopy when Formalin-fixed preparations were reacted by direct and indirect methods with horseradish peroxidase-labeled specific antibody.

BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is recognized as a re-emerging infectious disease; therefore, understanding the epidemiology of the disease is vital for designing intervention programs and diminishing its transmission. Recently, Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) is used for segregating and identifying Leptospira serovars. The method has potential application in investigating the...

Leptospirosis, an emerging zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution, is caused by spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. More than 500,000 cases of severe leptospirosis are reported annually, with >10% of these being fatal. Leptospires can survive for weeks in suitably moist conditions before encountering a new host. Reservoir hosts, typically rodents, exhibit little to no signs of ...