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Hamond C, Adam EN, Stone NE, LeCount K, Anderson T, Putz EJ, Camp P, Hicks J, Stuber T, van der Linden H, Bayles DO, Sahl JW, Schlater LK, Wagner DM, Nally JE. Identification of equine mares as reservoir hosts for pathogenic species of Leptospira. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1346713. [PMID: 38784659 PMCID: PMC11112012 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1346713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Equine leptospirosis can result in abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, placentitis, and uveitis. Horses can also act as subclinical reservoir hosts of infection, which are characterized as asymptomatic carriers that persistently excrete leptospires and transmit disease. In this study, PCR and culture were used to assess urinary shedding of pathogenic Leptospira from 37 asymptomatic mares. Three asymptomatic mares, designated as H2, H8, and H9, were PCR-positive for lipL32, a gene specific for pathogenic species of Leptospira. One asymptomatic mare, H9, was culture-positive, and the recovered isolate was classified as L. kirschneri serogroup Australis serovar Rushan. DNA capture and enrichment of Leptospira genomic DNA from PCR-positive, culture-negative samples determined that asymptomatic mare H8 was also shedding L. kirschneri serogroup Australis, whereas asymptomatic mare H2 was shedding L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae. Sera from all asymptomatic mares were tested by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and 35 of 37 (94.6%) were seropositive with titers ranging from 1:100 to 1:3200. In contrast to asymptomatic mares, mare H44 presented with acute spontaneous abortion and a serum MAT titer of 1:102,400 to L. interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Pomona. Comparison of L. kirschneri serogroup Australis strain H9 with that of L. interrogans serogroup Pomona strain H44 in the hamster model of leptospirosis corroborated differences in virulence of strains. Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a protective antigen in bacterin vaccines, the LPS of strain H9 (associated with subclinical carriage) was compared with strain H44 (associated with spontaneous abortion). This revealed different LPS profiles and immunoreactivity with reference antisera. It is essential to know what species and serovars of Leptospira are circulating in equine populations to design efficacious vaccines and diagnostic tests. Our results demonstrate that horses in the US can act as reservoir hosts of leptospirosis and shed diverse pathogenic Leptospira species via urine. This report also details the detection of L. kirschneri serogroup Australis serovar Rushan, a species and serotype of Leptospira, not previously reported in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Hamond
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Emma N. Adam
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Nathan E. Stone
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Karen LeCount
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Tammy Anderson
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Ellie J. Putz
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Patrick Camp
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jessica Hicks
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Tod Stuber
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Hans van der Linden
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Darrell O. Bayles
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Jason W. Sahl
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Linda K. Schlater
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
| | - David M. Wagner
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Jarlath E. Nally
- National Centers for Animal Health Leptospira Working Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, United States
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Zilch TJ, Lee JJ, Saleem MZ, Zhang H, Cortese V, Voris N, McDonough SP, Divers TJ, Chang YF. Equine leptospirosis: Experimental challenge of Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava fails to establish infection in naïve horses. Equine Vet J 2021; 53:845-854. [PMID: 33617667 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little information is available about experimental inoculation of leptospirosis in horses and the pathogenicity of Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava in this host. OBJECTIVES To determine the serological, clinical, pathological and haematological responses of horses to L. interrogans serovar Bratislava strain PigK151. STUDY DESIGN Randomised controlled in vivo experiment. METHODS Ten seronegative female foals were divided into 2 groups, control (n = 4) and challenged (n = 6). The challenged group received 1 × 109 leptospires divided equally between topical ocular and intraperitoneal injections. Blood and urine samples were analysed. The temperature was recorded daily for the first 9 days, then weekly. Sera were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Automated complete blood count, differential and chemistry panel were performed. Histopathological analysis was performed on sections of liver, kidney, urinary bladder, uterine body and pineal gland. Sample culturing was performed from blood, urine, liver, kidney, reproductive tract and vitreous humour. RESULTS No pyrexia was noted. PCR and culture were negative from all samples. Differences between groups were found in CBC, differential counts and serum biochemistry panel (or profile), suggesting that leptospiral challenge triggered an inflammatory response. No evidence of leptospirosis was found from histopathological analysis. All challenged foals developed a humoral response. The MAT allowed the confirmation of the infecting serovar at a later stage, but it also revealed cross-reactive results that were further explained by genomic analysis. MAIN LIMITATIONS This experimental challenge had two main limitations: (a) the results might have varied if another strain from the same serovar had been used and (b) the use of another route of infection and a higher bacterial dose might have achieved colonisation. CONCLUSIONS Based on these findings, it may suggest that L. interrogans serovar Bratislava is neither pathogenic nor host-adapted serovar for horses, although these results might have varied if another strain from the same serovar had been used instead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago J Zilch
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jen-Jie Lee
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Muhammad Zain Saleem
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guanfzhou, China
| | | | | | - Sean P McDonough
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Thomas J Divers
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Yung-Fu Chang
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Caimi K, Ruybal P. Leptospira spp., a genus in the stage of diversity and genomic data expansion. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 81:104241. [PMID: 32061688 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread global zoonotic bacterial disease with a noteworthy human-animal-ecosystem interface. The disease presents different clinical manifestations and a high mortality and morbidity rates in humans and animals throughout the world. Characterization and correct classification of Leptospira isolates is essential for a better understanding the epidemiological properties of the disease. In the last ten years, molecular typing tools have been developed and applied to this field. These methods together with the availability of hundreds of new whole genome sequences that belong to known and new described species are shaping the understanding and structure of the entire genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Caimi
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABiMo), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - P Ruybal
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155 Piso: 12, CABA 1121, Argentina
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Ghazaei C. Pathogenic Leptospira: Advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis and virulence. Open Vet J 2018; 8:13-24. [PMID: 29445617 PMCID: PMC5806663 DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v8i1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a common zoonotic disease has emerged as a major public health problem, with developing countries bearing disproportionate burdens. Although the diverse range of clinical manifestations of the leptospirosis in humans is widely documented, the mechanisms through which the pathogen causes disease remain undetermined. In addition, leptospirosis is a much-neglected life-threatening disease although it is one of the most important zoonoses occurring in a diverse range of epidemiological distribution. Recent advances in molecular profiling of pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira have improved our understanding of the evolutionary factors that determine virulence and mechanisms that the bacteria employ to survive. However, a major impediment to the formulation of intervention strategies has been the limited understanding of the disease determinants. Consequently, the association of the biological mechanisms to the pathogenesis of Leptospira, as well as the functions of numerous essential virulence factors still remain implicit. This review examines recent advances in genetic screening technologies, the underlying microbiological processes, the virulence factors and associated molecular mechanisms driving pathogenesis of Leptospira species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciamak Ghazaei
- Department of Microbiology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, P.O. Box 179, Ardabil, Iran
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Moreno LZ, Kremer FS, Jaeger LH, Loureiro AP, Miraglia F, Eslabao MR, Dellagostin OA, Lilenbaum W, Moreno AM. Genomic characterization and comparative analysis of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Australis isolated from swine. Pathog Dis 2017; 75:4662627. [DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Z Moreno
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Resistência a Antimicrobianos, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Frederico S Kremer
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS 96160-000, Brazil
| | - Lauren H Jaeger
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Hernani Mello, 101, Niterói, RJ 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Ana P Loureiro
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Hernani Mello, 101, Niterói, RJ 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Miraglia
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Hernani Mello, 101, Niterói, RJ 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Marcos R Eslabao
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS 96160-000, Brazil
| | - Odir A Dellagostin
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Núcleo de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS 96160-000, Brazil
| | - Walter Lilenbaum
- Laboratório de Bacteriologia Veterinária, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Hernani Mello, 101, Niterói, RJ 24210-130, Brazil
| | - Andrea M Moreno
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia Molecular e Resistência a Antimicrobianos, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil
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