Spirochetes Flashcards
Are spirochetes considered gram + or -
Gram -
What is the morphological appearance of spirochetes?
Slender, helically coiled, spiral organisms
Move with corkscrew or flexing motion
T/F: spirochetes are well demonstrated with gram stain
F
Dark field microscopy or silver stain is better
Where is the flagella located on a spirochete?/
Periplasmic space –> gives the coiled morphology and movement in viscous environment
What are the members of the spirochetes
Bracyspira
Borrelia
Treponema
Leptospira (Dr Rajeev’s fav)
What is the most prevalent and widespread zoonosis ?
Leptospirosis
How are leptospira servers organized
Carbohydrate components in bacterial outer membrane
The genospecies of leptospira is based on?
DNA homologs
Where are leptospira maintained in reservoir animals?
Renal tubules
Excreted through urine
How is leptospira transmitted?
Reservoir sp excrete in urine
Animals get it from direct contact or contaminated environment
How does disease cause by leptospira differ between humans, livestock, and companion animals?
Humans and companion animals: flu like illness and protean manifestations
Complications from renal, pulmonary, hepatic, and CNS disease
Livestock: disease of production and reproduction
What are the virulence factors of leptospira?
Cell associated
- endoflagella
- outer membrane proteins
- LPS
Extracellular
- hymolyins
- protein cytotoxins
What is the pathogenesis of leptospira?
Entry across mucosa -> phase of bacteremia -> colonization of proximal kidney tubules (genital mucosa)
Pathology associated with leptospira
Acute/chronic inflammation
Bacteremic phase - intravascular haemolyis petechial heamorrhage and DIC (endotoxin release), jaundie (hepatitis), nephritis, placentitis, mastitis.
Local infections of genital tract -> infertility (salpingitis)
Dog
PU/PD Vomiting Diarrhea Inappetene Lethargy Abdominal pain Icterus
Leptospirosis
What does leptospirosis cause in dogs?
Renal or hepatic injury -> icterus
Uveitis
Bleeding abnormalities and DIC -> pulmonary hemorrhage
How do you diagnose leptospira infection?
Dark field microscopy
FA
PCR
Culture
Microscopic agglutination
ELISA
What is the gold standard test for leptospira
Microscopic agglutination test
Measuring Ab titers using agglutination
What are downfalls to microscopic agglutination test (MAT)
Difficult to standardize - lab to lab variations
Requires live cultures and technical expertise
Vaccine-induced Ab my interfere
Reported to be serovar specific but cross reactivity is common
What are the ideal samples taken for diagnostic tests to maximize diagnosistic sensitivity for leptospira ?
PCR/FA - blood or urine
MAT - serum
How is leptospira treated?
Supportive therapy
Antimicrobial s
Penicillins -acute disease
Doxycycline - post exposure prophylactic/minimize carrier state
How do we prevent leptospira ?
Vaccination
Minimize exposure to surface waters contaminated by reservoir hosts
What leptospira serovar is host adapted to cattle resulting in reproductive failure
Leptospira borgpetersennii
-> embryonic death and repeat breeding
Cattle
High fever, hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria, jaundice, pulmonary congestion, meningitis, and death
Leptospirosis
How should you collect your sample for leptospira testing?
Urine mid stream for FA/PCR
Overnight shipping under refrigeration conditions
Serum for MAT