Exam 4: Leptospira

Question 1

What is the natural reservoir/habitat of Leptospira?

Answer 1

The lumen of proximal convoluted tubules of a wide variety of animals as latent or chronic carriers
There is efficient coexistence in the carrier host

Question 2

What are the invasive aspects of leptospira?

Answer 2

Invasive through intact mucosa of alimentary tract, eye, and genitalia or abraded/moist skin after contact with urine, water, food, or coitus

Question 3

Describe the vaccine associate with Bovine leptospirosis

Answer 3

Bacterins available with 1-6 serovars
They prevent abortion and acute clinical signs, but not infection, renal colonization (carrier state), and shedding
There is serovar specific immunity
All lepto bacterins are killed
Bacterins stimulate mainly IgG, but there is an IgM response for 1-2 months

Question 4

What is the best method for diagnosing canine leptospirosis?

Answer 4

Serology

Indirect method that tests for antibodies rather than the live organism

Question 5

What are the antibiotics that can treat canine leptospirosis?

Answer 5

Peniciliin G or ampicillin
Tetracyclines (swine)
Streptomycin
Chloramphenicol (dogs)
Erythromycin
Doxycycline (people)

Question 6

Which antibiotic clears the carrier state?

Answer 6

Streptomycin

Question 7

What is the serologic method used and what is different about it compared to other methods?

Answer 7

Microscopic agglutination/lysis test (MAT or MALT)

It requires live organisms rather than the killed antigen

Question 8

Describe vent disease

Answer 8

Caused by Treponema cuniculi
The host is rabbits
It is transmitted via STD

Question 9

Describe swine dysentery

Answer 9

Caused by Serpulina hyodysenteriae
The host is swine
It is transmitted via the fecal/oral route

Question 10

What causes Lyme disease?

Answer 10

Borrelia burgdorferi (spirochetal bacteria)