Expression and characterization of recombinant leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL32 from Leptospira interrogans serovar autumnalis.

Leptospira interrogans serovar autumnalis, a causative agent of leptospirosis in Thailand, was isolated from a patient for DNA extraction and amplification of LipL32 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The 782 bp PCR product was obtained, which was inserted into pAE plasmid with polyhistidine (His6 tag) to construct pAE-LipL32. This recombinant plasmid was transfected into E.

Identification of clinical isolates of Leptospira spp by pulsed field gel-electrophoresis and microscopic agglutination test.

Twenty-five clinical isolates of Leptospira spp were characterized by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and pulsed field gel-electrophoresis (PFGE) in comparison with 23 reference Leptospira serovars and with the saprophytic L. biflexa serovar Patoc. PFGE DNA profiling was more specific and reliable than MAT.

Use of immunoblotting as an alternative method for serogrouping Leptospira.

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by a spirochaete bacterium, Leptospira. Serological detection of this micro-organism basically relies on a conventional microscopic agglutination test (MAT), which has some limitations and disadvantages. In the present study, immunoblotting has been applied as an alternative method for differentiating serogroups and serovars of leptospires.

Use of protein-specific monoclonal antibody-based latex agglutination for rapid diagnosis of Burkholderia pseudomallei infection in patients with community-acquired septicemia.

A latex agglutination test employing monoclonal antibody specific to a 30-kDa protein of Burkholderia pseudomallei was used to detect the organisms in blood culture specimens from 1,139 patients with community-acquired septicemia. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the test were 96.75%, 99.

Detection and differentiation between pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira spp. by multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed for diagnosing leptospirosis and differentiating pathogenic and saprophytic leptospires. Specific primers were designed to amplify 23S rDNA from pathogenic Leptospira and saprophytic Leptospira spp. PCR products from 27 pathogenic and 5 (including 1 intermediate) saprophytic serovars were 615 and 316 base pairs (bp), respectively.