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Abstract

Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic species of The aim of this study was to determine and characterize the pathogenicity of four dominant isolates prevailing among rats in the Philippines. The isolates were serovar Manilae strain K64, serovar Losbanos strain K37, serovar Ratnapura strain K5 and serovar Javanica strain K6. Pathogenicities were studied using hamsters, which reproduce severe human leptospirosis. The minimum lethal doses were 10 ( = 1) leptospires for K64, K37 and K5, and 10 leptospires for K6. Weight loss amongst the -infected hamsters was observed from 1 day before death (K64-, K37- and K5-infected hamsters) to as much as 1 week before death for K6-infected hamsters. Similar and varied gross and microscopic lesions were observed amongst infected hamsters, even for strains belonging to the same species (i.e. ). The most significant and common histopathological findings were congestion of the glomerulus, disarrangement of hepatic cords and erythrophagocytosis. Other findings were foamy splenic macrophages for K6, severe petechial pulmonary haemorrhage for K64, and hematuria and severe pulmonary congestion for K37. Immunostaining and culture revealed the presence of leptospires in different organs of the infected hamsters. Based on these results, isolates from rats in the Philippines were shown to be highly virulent, causing pulmonary haemorrhage, severe hepato-renal damage and death in hamsters even at lower doses. The present findings on experimental leptospirosis support clinical data showing that patients with severe manifestations of leptospirosis, such as pulmonary haemorrhage, are increasing in the Philippines. These findings may serve as a basis to strengthen the early diagnosis and treatment of human leptospirosis.

Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology
  • MEXT
  • Japan Science and Technology Agency
  • JST
  • Japan International Cooperation Agency
  • JICA
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/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.072439-0
2014-02-01
2024-12-03
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