A One Health Approach to Investigating Serogroups and Their Spatial Distributions among Humans and Animals in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2013⁻2015.

Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonotic disease in Brazil and is widespread throughout rural populations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. This study aimed to identify presumptive infecting serogroups in human and animal cases and describe their occurrences within the ecoregions of the state by animal species. Data for human and animal leptospirosis cases were gathered from the government's passive surveillance systems and presumptive infecting serogroups were identified based on a two-fold titer difference in serogroups in the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) panel.

A road map for leptospirosis research and health policies based on country needs in Latin America.

This report summarizes the presentations, discussions and the recommendations coming from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ International Workshop for Leptospirosis Research Based on Country Needs and the 5th Global Leptospirosis Environmental Action Network meeting, which was held in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 10-12 November 2015. The event focused on health policy and worked to develop a road map as a consensus document to help guide decision-making by policymakers, funding bodies, and health care professionals. The direction that leptospirosis research should take in the coming years was emphasized, taking into account the needs of countries of Latin America, as well as experiences from other world regions, as provided by international experts.

Molecular and serological characterization of Leptospira kirschneri serogroup Pomona isolated from a human case in a Brazilian rural area.

Introduction:: Leptospirosis is an important health concern in Brazil. Currently, information on the epidemiology of the disease in the rural areas of the country is lacking.

Methods:: Serological and molecular techniques were used to characterize a clinical isolate of Leptospira.

Leptospirosis in Latin America: exploring the first set of regional data.

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Methods: .

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High-Resolution Melting Curve Analysis of the 16S Ribosomal Gene to Detect and Identify Pathogenic and Saprophytic Species in Colombian Isolates.

AbstractIt is important to identify the circulating agent to enhance the performance of serodiagnostic tests by incorporating specific antigens of native species, develop vaccines that take into account the species/serovars circulating in different regions, and optimize prevention and control strategies. The objectives of this study were to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-high-resolution melting (HRM) assay for differentiating between species of the genus and to verify its usefulness in identifying unknown samples to species level. A set of primers from the initial region of the 16S ribosomal gene was designed to detect and differentiate the 22 species of .

Genetic diversity of Leptospira in northwestern Colombia: first report of Leptospira santarosai as a recognised leptospirosis agent.

The region of Antioquia in northeastern Colombia has the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases in the country. It also shows high seroprevalence indexes in the general population and socio-environmental conditions favourable for the transmission of the disease between humans and animals. In this study, 25 Leptospira isolates from Colombia's Antioquia department were identified to the species level as L.

Animal leptospirosis in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: reported outbreaks and literature review (2002-2014).

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease whose transmission is linked through multiple factors in the animal-human-ecosystem interface. The data on leptospirosis reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries/sovereign territories from 2005-2011 were mapped, showing a wide distribution of outbreaks in the region. Tropical terrestrial biomes are the predominate ecosystems showing reports of outbreaks.

Leptospira and Brucella antibodies in collared anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla) in Brazilian zoos.

The presence of Leptospira spp. and Brucella spp. antibodies was investigated in serum samples from 28 collared anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla) kept in seven Brazilian zoos.

Leptospirosis diagnosis by immunocapture polymerase chain reaction: a new tool for early diagnosis and epidemiologic surveillance.

The aim of this study was to develop an immunocapture polymerase chain reaction (IC-PCR) protocol for leptospirosis. For the standardization of IC-PCR, polyclonal (AS) and monoclonal (MAb) antibodies against different serogroups and serovars of Leptospira were coupled to polystyrene plates. Human sera were artificially contaminated with leptospires and incubated on plates.

Atypical lymphocytosis in leptospirosis: a cohort of hospitalized cases between 1996 and 2009 in State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease found in tropical and temperate countries, and its clinical diagnostic confusion with arboviruses (dengue fever, oropouche fever and yellow fever), Brazilian spotted fever, viral hepatitis and hantaviruses has been an ongoing public health concern. The aim of this observational study was to demonstrate an association between findings of atypical lymphocytosis and the progression of endemic leptospirosis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the demographic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects of 27 human leptospirosis cases that occurred over a period of 13 years (1996-2009) with no reported epidemic outbreaks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Multiplex PCR-based detection of Leptospira in environmental water samples obtained from a slum settlement.

The aim of this study was to apply a molecular protocol to detect leptospiral DNA in environmental water samples. The study was carried out in a peri-urban settlement in Petrópolis, state of Rio de Janeiro. A multiplex PCR method employing the primers LipL32 and 16SrRNA was used.

[Characterization of Leptospira sp reference strains using the pulsed field gel electrophoresis technique].

Introduction: Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis of worldwide distribution, caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. This genus includes pathogenic and saprophytic species, with more than 200 different serovars, thus making it difficult to characterize. The technique of pulsed field gel electrophoresis has been used as a tool to aid in this characterization.

Carriage of Leptospira interrogans among domestic rats from an urban setting highly endemic for leptospirosis in Brazil.

A survey was conducted to identify reservoirs for urban leptospirosis in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Sampling protocols were performed in the vicinity of households of severe leptospirosis cases identified during active hospital-based surveillance. Among a total of 142 captured Rattus norvegicus (Norwegian brown rat), 80.

[Anti-Leptospira antibodies in patients in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul with clinical suspicion of dengue or viral hepatitis].

In view of the lack of clinical and epidemiological data on human leptospirosis in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, and the possibility of confounding it with other diseases, sera from patients with a preliminary clinical suspicion of dengue or viral hepatitis but without laboratory confirmation were examined by means of microscopic seroagglutination techniques for leptospirosis. The seroreactivity rates among the samples with clinically suspected dengue or viral hepatitis were 15.9% and 9%.

Experimental leptospirosis in marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus): a new model for studies of severe pulmonary leptospirosis.

Experimental infection of marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) with Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni showed microscopic patterns of tissue reactions comparable to those seen in the severe forms of human leptospirosis, including intra-alveolar hemorrhage. The most impressive microscopic changes were seen in the lung and kidney of animals killed at days 6 and 12 after inoculation. There were extensive and irregular areas of hemorrhage predominating around main bronchial branches or diffusely spread to the pulmonary parenchyma, as well as severe tubulointerstitial nephritis.

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of the severe pulmonary form of leptospirosis.

Four cases of severe pulmonary form of leptospirosis (SPFL) are described. In all four of these blood culture proven cases, there was severe pulmonary injury characterized by alveolar hemorrhage and acute respiratory failure. Three patients died in less than 48 hours after onset of the first respiratory signs.