Diagnostic accuracy of an immunomagnetic separation-PCR assay to detect pathogenic Leptospira spp. in urine from dairy cattle, using a Bayesian latent class model.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that has spread worldwide and causes significant economic losses in the dairy industry. The causal agents of this infectious disease are members of the genus Leptospira, known as pathogenic Leptospira spp. Specific clinical signs of the infection are difficult to detect.

Association between the severity of histopathological lesions and subspecies (MAP) molecular diversity in cattle in southern Chile.

The objective was to evaluate the association between the severity of histopathological lesions caused by subspecies (MAP) infection and the molecular diversity of this pathogen. Blood, ileum, and mesenteric lymph node samples were collected at slaughter, from 1,352 adult cattle [source population 1 (SP1)]. In addition, 42 dairy herds ( = 4,963 cows) were followed for 2 years, and samples from compatible clinical cases [source population 2 (SP2)] were collected.

Development and evaluation of polyclonal antibody-based antigen detection ELISA and dot blot assays as a less costly diagnostic alternative for pathogenic Leptospira infection.

Leptospirosis is an infectious, zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution, the cause of which is infection by pathogenic Leptospira. In Chile, dairy cattle are recognized a significant source in the maintenance and transmission of this infection, which causes economic losses and represents an infection threat to workers in the dairy industry. The infection is underestimated in cattle, due to the lack of clinical, pathognomonic signs, as well as the low efficiency of current diagnostic techniques.

New insights on the infection of pathogenic Leptospira species in American mink (Neovison vison) in southern Chile.

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of global distribution, caused by the infection of pathogenic Leptospira, a group of bacteria capable of infecting both domestic and wild animals. Mink (Neovison vison) in southern Chile is recognized as a wild and synanthropic rodent predator (among various other prey), and Leptospira infection in them can be acquired through contact with the pathogen in the environment or by eating infected prey. Thus, the aim of this study was to provide more specifics regarding the source of the infection for the American mink under the conditions of Southern Chile.

Cats shedding pathogenic Leptospira spp.-An underestimated zoonotic risk?

Shedding of DNA of pathogenic Leptospira spp. has been documented in naturally infected cats in several countries, but urinary shedding of infectious Leptospira spp. has only recently been proven.