Exam 2: Leptospira Flashcards
Considered as Gram (-) bacteria. slender, helically coiled, spiral organisms, move with corkscrew or flexing motion
Spirochetes
T/F. spirochets stain well with gram stain
F. poorly stain
What two methods can you sue to see spirochetes
- darkfield microscopy
2. silver stains
Spirochetes have a tight or loose coiled morphologhy due to ____ located in the _____.
Flagella, periplasmic space
what are the pathogenic members of spirochetes
- Bracyspira
- Borrelia
- Treponema
- Leptospira
_____ has been described as the most widespread and prevalent zoonosis
Leptospirosis
T/F. Leptospira are gram (+)
F. (-)
T/F. Leptospira are fastidious bacteria
T
What is the diff. between saprophytes and pathogenic leptospira
S= free living in the water P= infects renal tubules of animals
Neglected dz of poverty endemic in tropical humid conditions, epidemic during natural disasters
Leptospirosis
Leptospira are pathogenic specise maintained in the _____ of animal reservoirs
Renal tubules
What is the natural habitat of leptospires?
proximal convoluted tubules of kidney
What are the 3 cell associated virulence factors of Leptospira
- Endoflagella
- Outermemb. proteins
- LPS
What are the 2 extracellular virulence factors of Leptospira?
- Hemolysins
2. Protein cytotoxins
T/F. Leptospira can penetrate epithelial barriers
T
WHat is the diff. in pathogenesis of Leptospira in a maintenance host vs. incidental host
M: kidney or repro tract, long term shedder
I: can have severe dz. or recovery with short term shedding in urine
C/S of leptospirosis in dogs
polyuria polydipsia dehydration, v+ D+ lethargey abdominal pain
How do you Dx leptospira infections?
- darkfield microscopy
- fluorescent ab stain
- PCR
- Culture
- Microscopic Agglutination test
- ELISA
Measures antibody titers to leptospira serovars ysing an agglutination test which uses live Lepto
Serology test: Microscopic Agglutination test
What is the Gold Standard test for Leptospira
Micro Agglutination test
What is the problem with the microscopic agglutination (MAT) test for lepto?
difficult to distinguis b/t infected and vaccinated
T/F. When doing a microscopic agglutination test for lepto, a 3- folk inc. in MAT titers is indicative of active infection
F. 4-fold
What are some problems associated with MAT?
difficult to standardize
requires live cultures
Vaccine induced abs.
What are the 3 ideal tests for ante-mortem Dx to maximize the diagnostic sensitivity
- Blood for PCR
- Urine for PCR
- Serum for MAT
What are the 3 tx for Lepto
- supportive care
- Antimicrobials
- penicillins
- Doxycycline
How do you prevent Leptospira
Vaccinate dogs
minimize exposure to surface waters
Leptospira that infects Cattle
L. borgpetersennii serovar hardjo
C/S of L. borgpetersennii serovar hardjo in cattle:
Fever, hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria, jaundice, pulmonary congestion . . .
Leptospira that is host adapted in cattle resulting in repro failure due to embryonic death and repeat breeding
L. borgpetersennii serovar hardjo
How do you Dx Lepto in cattle
- Urine PCR
2. Serum for MAT
T/F Cows chronically infected with Lepto have high antibody titers
F. Low
What are 2 treatments for lepto in cattle
long acting tetracyclines
sustained release ceftiofur
T/F. There is no vaccine for lepto in cattle
F
What should you treat dry cows with that are infected with lepto?
Tetracycline
What are the two sserovars of lepto that infect horses
- Pomona
2. grippotyphosa
Clinical leptospirosis in horses is most commonly associated with ___ in mares and ___ in foals
abortions, systemic illness
What serovars of lepto can pigs get?
Pomona and Bratislava
C/S of pigs infected with lepto
Repro failure and sporadic abortions
What is the most widespread zoonotic dz
Lepto
