Swine are one of significant reservoirs and sources of Leptospira infections for man. Serological screenings help to effectively control the epidemiological situation in swine herds and to prevent transmission of Leptospira from animals to man. The purpose of this study was to investigate, by the use of serological methods, the prevalence of infections caused by selected Leptospira serogroups i...

Sequential disruption of the sheath of avirulent leptospires of the serotype canicola with antibody and complement was monitored by electron microscopy. Loosening and separation of the sheath from the protoplasmic cylinder was observed as early as 2 min after exposure to complement. Virulent leptospires of this serotype were morphologically intact after 1 hr of exposure to antibody and compleme...

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies specific to different serogroups of Leptospira sp. in swine populations in Poland. The serological survey was conducted in 2006. A total of 7 252 swine serum samples coming from all provinces of the country were investigated. The samples were examined by the use of a microscopic agglutination test. As antigens, six Leptospira ser...

A saprophytic Leptospira biflexa strain of equine origin was found which cross-reacts with immune rabbit antisera to 14 pathogenic Leptospira interrogans serotypes. Sera from goats experimentally inoculated with the saprophyte showed multiple low-level cross-agglutination reactions against a battery of live L. interrogans serotypes. Sonically treated and saline-extracted suspensions of the L. b...

A 25-years old man from Zagreb, Croatia, was admitted to the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases four days after the onset of symptoms such as fever, intense pain in the calves and anuria. The patient owned a rabbit and, before the onset of the disease, repaired some rubber pipes damaged by rodents. At admission, he had a severe clinical picture with fever, hypotension, jaundice, immobi...

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world and significant efforts have been made to determine and classify pathogenic Leptospira strains. This zoonosis is maintained in nature through chronic renal infections of carrier animals, with rodents and other small mammals serving as the most important reservoirs. Additionally, domestic animals, such as livestock and dogs, are signific...

Stalheim, O. H. V. (University of Wisconsin, Madison) and J. B. Wilson. Leptospiral colonial morphology. J. Bacteriol. 86:482-489. 1963.-A sequence of apparent colonial types was observed with colonies of Leptospira pomona, L. canicola, L. icterohaemorrhagiae, and L. grippotyphosa in agar medium. Although some colonies of these serotypes had a different appearance initially, they eventually dev...