Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a key antigen in immunity to leptospirosis. Its biosynthesis requires enzymes for the biosynthesis and polymerization of nucleotide sugars and the transport through and attachment to the bacterial membrane. The genes encoding these functions are commonly clustered into loci; for Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo subtype Hardjobovis, this locus, named rfb, span...

BACKGROUND We address some critical but unknown parameters of individuals and populations of Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) that influence leptospiral infection, maintenance and spirochetal loads shed in urine, which contaminates the environment ultimately leading to human infection. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Our study, conducted in Salvador, Brazil, established the average load of lept...

AIMS To describe the occurrence of spontaneous cataract absorption in patients with leptospiral uveitis. METHODS The records of patients with seropositive leptospiral uveitis seen in the uveitis clinic at Aravind Eye Hospital between January 1994 and December 1997 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS During the 4 years of the study, 394 eyes of 276 patients with seropositive leptospiral u...

Leptospiral meningitis, which is an important feature of anicteric leptospirosis, is generally underdiagnosed. Serological tests are not very useful in diagnosis of leptospiral meningitis. Early detection by molecular tests such as PCR and prompt institution of therapy would be life-saving.

Bacterial surface proteins are involved in direct contact with host cells and in uptake of nutrients from the environment (1). For this reason, cellular localization can provide insights into the functional role of bacterial proteins. Surface localization of bacterial proteins is a key step towards identification of virulence factors involved in mechanisms of pathogenicity. Methods for fraction...

Even though, Leptospiral infection is not uncommon, it can have different rare presentations. Acute pancreatitis is one such rare gastrointestinal manifestation of acute pancreatitis. Apart from the typical clinical features; elevated serum lipase or elastase-1, along with radiological evidence and positive leptospiral serology confirms this rare association.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is one of the most common complications of leptospirosis although the causal mechanisms are still unclear. Diverse mechanisms are implicated in leptospiral nephropathy and new data supports the role of peculiar ion transport defects. Besides antibiotic therapy, ARF management in leptospirosis requires dialytic therapy which is most efficient when started early. Dialysi...

Leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira, is a zoonosis with important impacts on human and animal health worldwide. Research on the mechanisms of Leptospira pathogenesis has been hindered due to slow growth of infectious strains, poor transformability, and a paucity of genetic tools. As a result of second generation sequencing technologies, there has be...

Leptospirosis is widely regarded as the most widespread zoonosis in the world. Systemic leptospirosis is a biphasic illness. Ocular involvement in leptospirosis has been reported to be extremely variable, ranging from 2% to 90%. Ocular involvement is seen both in the systemic bacteraemic phase as well as in the immunological phase. Leptospiral uveitis is a common entity in the tropical countrie...