Spirochetes

Question 1

Borrelia burgdorferi
shape
clinical signs

Answer 1

spirochete
lyme disease

Question 2

Borrelia anserina
shape
clinical signs

Answer 2

spirochete
avian spirochaetosis

Question 3

Brachyspira hyodysenteriae
shape
clinical signs

Answer 3

spirochete
swine dysentery

Question 4

Treponema phagedenis
shape
clinical signs

Answer 4

spirochete
hair foot wart in cattle

Question 5

Treponema cuniculi
shape
clinical signs

Answer 5

spirochete
vent disease in rabbits (rabbit syphilis)

Question 6

Treponema pallidum
shape
clinical signs

Answer 6

spirochete
human syphilils

Question 7

Leptospira
gram - or +
shape
aerobe or anaerobe
zoonotic?
virulence factors

Answer 7

gram - rod spirochetes
aerobe
zoonotic
LPS, Lip32, hemolysins - Phospholipase C and Pore-forming proteins, autoantibodies

Question 8

L. hardjo
species
clinical signs

Answer 8

bovid
mid/late-term abortion, “milk drop syndrome”
placentitis, nephritis, pneumonia in aborted fetus

Question 9

L. pomona
species
clinical signs

Answer 9

hemolytic anemia & acute renal failure in calves
repro diseases (SMEDI) in pigs
moon blindness, abortion in horses (most commonly appaloosas)
acute renal failure in foals

Question 10

L. autumnalis
species

Answer 10

wildlife, rodents

Question 11

L. ballum
species

Answer 11

wildlife, rodents

Question 12

L. canicola
species

Answer 12

dog (primarily)
bovid, pig, rodents

Question 13

L. bratislava
species

Answer 13

pig, horse, bovid

Question 14

L. grippotyphosa
species

Answer 14

primarily wildlife
bovid, pig

Question 15

L. icterohaemorrhagiae
species

Answer 15

rodents

Question 16

Leptospira pathogenesis

what acts as a reservoir?

transmission?

Answer 16

ingestion/penetration of broken skin/mucous membranes
replication in the blood “leptospiremia”
vasculitis/thrombocytopenia (clinically apparent)
renal and liver damage + CNS/ocular/spleen/repro

kidney specific: translocation between endothelial cells into interstitial space and through IC junctions w/ association to tubular epithelial microvilli –> tubular degeneration

rodents

shed in urine & direct contact

Question 17

most famous pathogenic leptospira species ________

Answer 17

L. interrogans

Question 18

non-pathogenic/free living leptospira species is _______

Answer 18

L. biflexa

Question 19

leptospirosis clinical signs in dogs

Answer 19

uremic disease/severe renal azotemia (kidney failure)
icteric disease (jaundice - liver failure)

Question 20

what leptospira serovars most commonly cause icteric disease in dogs

Answer 20

icterohemmorhagiae
pomona
grippotyphosa

Question 21

what virulence factor of leptospira is responsible for moon blindess in horses

Answer 21

autoantibodies

Question 22

Leptospira diagnostics

best test?
worst test?

Answer 22

microscopic agglutination (MAT) detect Ab
PCR
florescent Ab test
ELISA SNAP detects Ab against Lip32
vx history - seroconversion expected after vaccination
histopath w/ silver stains and IHC
NO culture - NOT USEFUL

Question 23

treatment of leptospira acute oliguric renal failure in dogs

Answer 23

IV fluids
Parental Abx - Ampicillin and Doxycycline

Question 24

treatment for leptospira in cattle and horses

Answer 24

Abx - pencillin, ceftiofur, oxytetracycline

Question 25

leptospira prevention in cattle, dogs, and horses

Answer 25

cattle 5 way vx (CGIPH)
horses - pomona only
dogs = 4 way vx (CGIP)
BIOSECURITY

Question 26

Microscopic Agglutination (MAT) diagnostic interpretation

Answer 26

acute titer
convalescent titer (7-14 days apart)
>/= 4 fold difference

Question 27

what is a red herring alert

Answer 27

subclinical infection common in high endemic areas