Leptospira

Question 1

Leptospira Gram___? Shape?

Answer 1

Gram Negative Classic spirochetes Diverse, many variations/serotypes

Question 2

Leptospira Motile/Non-motile?

Answer 2

Motile

Question 3

Leptospira Distribution? Reportable?

Answer 3

Worldwide. REPORTABLE in USA

Question 4

Leptospira Disease Patterns Hallmark sign

Answer 4

Late-term abortion

Question 5

Leptospira Disease Patterns Dogs

Answer 5

Septicemia - Hepatic & Renal Disease

Question 6

Leptospira - Disease Patterns Cattle & Swine

Answer 6

Septicemia in young Abortion in adults

Question 7

Leptospira - Disease Patterns Horses

Answer 7

Abortion & uveitis (moon blindness)

Question 8

Leptospira - Disease Patterns California Sea Lions

Answer 8

Acute septicemia

Question 9

Leptospira - Disease Patterns Humans

Answer 9

Acute febrile disease

Question 10

How is Leptospira best visualized on microscopy?

Answer 10

Dark-field or phase-contrast microscopy

Question 11

Leptospira Cell wall description

Answer 11

LPS with feeble endotoxin

Question 12

Leptospira Stable/Labile in environment? What kills it?

Answer 12

Weak/Labile Killed by drying, freezing, heat, detergents, bile salts, acidic environment

Question 13

Leptospira Where can it persist in environment?

Answer 13

Moist, temperate environment @neutral or slighly alkaline pH

Question 14

Leptospira What type of agar does it grow on?

Answer 14

It doesn’t! GOTCHA! No agar! Usually grown in fluid or semi-solid media

Question 15

Leptospira Oxidase Pos/Neg?

Answer 15

Oxidase positive

Question 16

Leptospira Catalase Pos/Neg?

Answer 16

Catalase positive

Question 17

Leptospira Urease & Lipase Pos/Neg?

Answer 17

Some are lipase & urease positive

Question 18

Leptospira How is advanced identification established?

Answer 18

Serology (PCR still in development

Question 19

Leptospira Reservoir

Answer 19

Tubule of Mammalian kidneys! Especially rodents! Wild carnivores, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates too

Question 20

Leptospira Transmission

Answer 20

Urine contamination! **Bodies of water** Fluid/fomite/feed contacts skin/mucous membranes. Milk in acutely infected cows

Question 21

Leptospira Pathogenesis

Answer 21

Spirochetes enter bloodstream–> Colonize liver and/or kidney (also muscle, eyes, meninges)

Question 22

Leptospira Clinical Signs/Pathology

Answer 22

>Nonsuppurative meningitis, hemorrhages >L. serovar Pomona in Cattle (intravascular hemolysis) >Autoimmune diseases, Icterus (liver damage & blood destruction) >Acute, subacute, chronic nephritis

Question 23

Leptospira Dogs Most important serovars

Answer 23

**Canicola** Iceterohemorrhagiae Grippotyphosa

Question 24

Leptospira- Dogs Acute form -Describe & is it fatal?

Answer 24

Puppies! Fever, hemorrhaging mucus membranes, epistaxis, blood-stained feces Fatal within days

Question 25

Leptospira-Dogs Icteric form

Answer 25

Less conspicuous hemorrhage Prominent Icterus Renal casts & leukocytes in urine

Question 26

Leptospira- Dogs Uremic form

Answer 26

\*Kidneys\* with or without other two forms Acute & rapidly fatal GI upset, uremic breath, GI ulcerations

Question 27

Leptospira - Dogs Name the three forms

Answer 27

Acute Form Icteric Form Uremic Form

Question 28

What is this dog infected with?

Answer 28

Acute Leptospirosis! Likely Icteric form

Question 29

Name the organ, name the pathogen, describe the lesion,

Answer 29

Lung -Dog Leptospirosis Petechiae scattered throughout lung

Question 30

Name the organ, name the pathogen, describe the lesion

Answer 30

Kidney - Dog Leptospirosis Pale mottled to striated cortex consistent with tubulointerstitial nephritis

Question 31

Leptospira - Cattle Most common manifestation? Exact cause?

Answer 31

Abortion! Mostly late-term Fetal death NOT placental infection

Question 32

Leptospira - Cattle Serovar Hardjo Disease nickname

Answer 32

"Weak Calf Syndrome"

Question 33

Leptospira - Cattle Serovar Hardjo Clinical signs

Answer 33

"Weak Calf Syndrome" In utero infection Repro failure & infertility Chronic infection in kidneys--\>urine shedding

Question 34

Leptospira - Cattle Serovar Pomona Acute/Chronic? Most affected?

Answer 34

Acute leptospirosis in calves, some adults

Question 35

Leptospira - Cattle Serovar Pomona Clinical signs - Fatality rate

Answer 35

Fever, hemoglobinuria, icterus, anemia Fatality rate = 5-15%

Question 36

Leptospira - Cattle Serovars Grippotyphosa, Icterohemorrhagiae, Canicola

Answer 36

May cause bovine infections, certain parts of world

Question 37

Leptospira- Swine Serovars affecting them:

Answer 37

Pomona Icterohemorrhagiae Canicola Taravossi Bratislava Muenchen

Question 38

Leptospira- Swine Disease Pattern

Answer 38

Septicemia with icterus and hemorrhage -Usually piglets

Question 39

Leptospira- Horse Serovars affecting them:

Answer 39

Pomona Grippotyphosa Icterohemorrhagiae

Question 40

Leptospira-Horse Disease Pattern

Answer 40

Fever Mild Icterus Abortion

Question 41

Leptospira- Horse Effect on eye:

Answer 41

Icteric conjunctiva Equine recurrent uveitis -Periodic ophthalmia -Moon blindness -Equine recurrent iridocyclitis

Question 42

Leptospira-California Sea Lion Serovar?

Answer 42

Pomona

Question 43

Leptospira-California Sea Lion Disease Pattern?

Answer 43

Periodic mortalities

Question 44

Leptospira-Humans Serovars?

Answer 44

Susceptible to all serovars

Question 45

Leptospira-Humans Disease Pattern

Answer 45

Fever Icterus Muscular pain Rashes Non-suppurative meningitis

Question 46

Leptospira-Humans What disease pattern is associated with serovar Icterohemorrhagiae

Answer 46

Fatal liver or renal disease

Question 47

What immunoglobulins are associated with recovery from a Leptospira infection?

Answer 47

Circulating IgM and IgG

Question 48

Leptospira- Do recovered animals have lasting immunity? Any exceptions?

Answer 48

Yes. Very effective and serovar-specific immunity (Except multiple Hardjo abortions in cows reported)

Question 49

Leptospira What species do serovar-specific vaccines exist for?

Answer 49

Dogs Cattle Swine Humans --Temporary immunity-Boosters

Question 50

Leptospira - Lab Diagnosis Live samples collected

Answer 50

Not milk! -Blood \*Urine\* -CSF -Uterine fluids -Placental cotyledons

Question 51

Leptospira-Lab diagnosis Necropsy samples collected

Answer 51

\*Kidneys\*, liver, spleen, lung, brain, eye

Question 52

Leptospira- Direct Exam Stains used?

Answer 52

-PCR -Wet mount stains: Darkfield IFA Silver Stains

Question 53

Leptospira- Culture medium

Answer 53

May be attempted in EMJH medium

Question 54

Leptospira- Intraperitoneal inoculations

Answer 54

May be attempted Kidneys examined Serological assays

Question 55

Leptospira-Serology -Test used?

Answer 55

Common/Best for Dx Microscopic agglutination test

Question 56

Leptospira- Serology What samples are best for Microscopic agglutination test?

Answer 56

Paired samples preferable with increasing titer

Question 57

Leptospira-Other diagnostic tests?

Answer 57

Complement fixation Other agglutination tests ELISA

Question 58

Leptospira- Treatment Antibiotic resistance?

Answer 58

Generally low resistance High susceptibility

Question 59

Leptospira- Treatment Antibiotics used?

Answer 59

Penicillin Streptomycin Tetracyclin Chloramphenicol Erythromycin

Question 60

Leptospira-Treatment When is the most effective time to treat?

Answer 60

Must be started early in infection or prophylactically

Question 61

Leptospira-Treatment What develops in cattle with sustained infection?

Answer 61

Biofilms

Question 62

Leptospira- Vaccination?

Answer 62

Prevents clinical disease -Infection and shedding still can occur