Leptospira interrogans

Leptospira interrogans
Scanning electron micrograph of Leptospira interrogans.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Spirochaetota
Class: Spirochaetia
Order: Leptospirales
Family: Leptospiraceae
Genus: Leptospira
Species:
L. interrogans
Binomial name
Leptospira interrogans
(Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926 (Approved Lists 1980)

Leptospira interrogans is a species of obligate aerobic spirochaete bacteria shaped like a corkscrew with hooked and spiral ends.[1] L. interrogans is mainly found in warmer tropical regions. The bacteria can live for weeks to months in the ground or water.[2] Leptospira is one of the genera of the spirochaete phylum that causes severe mammalian infections.[3] This species is pathogenic to some wild and domestic animals, including pet dogs. It can also spread to humans through abrasions on the skin, where infection can cause flu-like symptoms with kidney and liver damage.[2] Human infections are commonly spread by contact with contaminated water or soil, often through the urine of both wild and domestic animals.[2] Some individuals are more susceptible to serious infection, including farmers and veterinarians who work with animals.[4]

The bacteria cause two phases of infection, the anicteric phase and the icteric phase. The anicteric phase of infection is commonly known as phase one, in which humans exhibit fever, headache, and nausea. The icteric phase, or phase two, includes more severe symptoms including hemorrhages and renal tubular failure.[5] The main ways for testing for bacteria and diagnosing infections include the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and PCR.[6] Leptospirosis is treated in humans by the antibiotics penicillin and doxycycline.[7][8]

L. interrogans has many properties that ensure its optimal survival in specific conditions, including two periplasmic flagella for movement and mobility. These flagella enable L. interrogans to more easily access and infect both human and mammalian tissues.[9] The species uses beta oxidation of long chain fatty acids for energy, in which oxygen and peroxides are used as the main terminal electron acceptors.[10] The L. interrogans genome consists of two circular chromosomes.[11]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Nakamura2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c "Leptospirosis | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2019-03-13. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  3. ^ Ren SX, Fu G, Jiang XG, Zeng R, Miao YG, Xu H, Zhang YX, Xiong H, Lu G, Lu LF, Jiang HQ, Jia J, Tu YF, Jiang JX, Gu WY, Zhang YQ, Cai Z, Sheng HH, Yin HF, Zhang Y, Zhu GF, Wan M, Huang HL, Qian Z, Wang SY, Ma W, Yao ZJ, Shen Y, Qiang BQ, Xia QC, Guo XK, Danchin A, Saint Girons I, Somerville RL, Wen YM, Shi MH, Chen Z, Xu JG, Zhao GP (April 2003). "Unique physiological and pathogenic features of Leptospira interrogans revealed by whole-genome sequencing". Nature. 422 (6934): 888–93. Bibcode:2003Natur.422..888R. doi:10.1038/nature01597. PMID 12712204. S2CID 4415685.
  4. ^ "Risk of Exposure | Risk of Exposure | Leptospirosis | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  5. ^ Wang S, Stobart Gallagher MA, Dunn N (2021). "Leptospirosis". StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. PMID 28722888.
  6. ^ Behera, Sujit Kumar; Sabarinath, Thankappan; Ganesh, Balasubramanian; Mishra, Prasanta Kumar K.; Niloofa, Roshan; Senthilkumar, Kuppusamy; Verma, Med Ram; Hota, Abhishek; Chandrasekar, Shanmugam; Deneke, Yosef; Kumar, Ashok; Nagarajan, Muruganandam; Das, Deepanker; Khatua, Sasmita; Sahu, Radhakrishna (2022-06-13). "Diagnosis of Human Leptospirosis: Comparison of Microscopic Agglutination Test with Recombinant LigA/B Antigen-Based In-House IgM Dot ELISA Dipstick Test and Latex Agglutination Test Using Bayesian Latent Class Model and MAT as Gold Standard". Diagnostics. 12 (6): 1455. doi:10.3390/diagnostics12061455. ISSN 2075-4418. PMC 9221883. PMID 35741265.
  7. ^ "Treatment | Leptospirosis | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  8. ^ "Leptospirosis - Infectious Diseases". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  9. ^ Qu, Jiaxin. Sequencing and comparative genomics of Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona and Leptospira kirschneri serovar grippotyphosa. The University of Oklahoma, 2007.
  10. ^ Evangelista, Karen V, and Jenifer Coburn. “Leptospira as an emerging pathogen: a review of its biology, pathogenesis and host immune responses.” Future microbiology vol. 5,9 (2010): 1413-25. doi:10.2217/fmb.10.102
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Picardeau2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).