IVD of Pathogenic Leptospira
Pathogenic Leptospira
Leptospirosis is an acute animal-borne infectious disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Rodents and pigs are the main sources of infection, and infection occurs through skin and mucous membrane contact with infected water containing leptospira. After Leptospira invades the human body, it reproduces through lymphatic vessels or directly enters the human bloodstream to produce toxins, forming Leptospira sepsis, accompanied by damage and dysfunction of various organs. Leptospira infection can be diagnosed clinically through microscopy, culture, serological, and immunological tests.
Fig 1. Zoonotic cycle of leptospirosis, susceptibility of various accidental hosts, and transmission modes. (Bonhomme D, et al., 2022)Main Steps of IVD for Pathogenic Leptospira
- Serological tests. The microagglutination test (MAT) detects the presence of specific antibodies in the serum, and the diagnosis is confirmed by a dramatic increase in titer. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measures Leptospira IgM antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, and its specificity and sensitivity are higher than MAT.
- Blood culture. The patient's blood sample is inoculated into culture media for subsequent diagnosis.
- Molecular biology tests. PCR technology can be used to specifically, sensitively, and rapidly detect Leptospira DNA in whole blood, serum cerebrospinal fluid, or urine.
- Complement fixation tests and indirect immunofluorescence tests.
How Pathogenic Leptospira Cause Leptospirosis Infection
1. Transmission: Humans typically acquire Leptospira through direct or indirect contact with the urine of infected animals, often through contaminated water or soil. Common entry points include cuts or abrasions on the skin, as well as mucous membranes like the eyes, nose, or mouth.
2. Entry and Dissemination: Once the bacteria penetrate the skin or mucosa, they enter the bloodstream and can disseminate to various organs.
3. Hemolymphatic Phase: This is the initial, often asymptomatic phase, where the bacteria multiply in the bloodstream and tissue fluids. Symptoms, if present, could include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and conjunctival suffusion.
4. Immune Phase: As the body mounts an immune response, antibodies target the bacteria. However, the immune system's reaction can exacerbate symptoms. Bacteria can migrate to organs like the liver, kidneys, lungs, and the central nervous system, leading to more severe manifestations of the disease such as jaundice, renal failure, hemorrhages, and meningitis.
5. Organ Damage: It's the immune response and bacterial invasion that often lead to the complications seen in severe cases of leptospirosis, such as Weil's disease (characterized by jaundice, kidney failure, and bleeding) or severe pulmonary hemorrhagic syndrome.
Classifications of Leptospira
- Pathogenic Species: These are the ones that cause disease in humans and animals. Examples include Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira kirschneri.
- Intermediate Species: These are species thought to have intermediate pathogenicity. Examples include Leptospira fainei.
- Non-Pathogenic Species: These do not cause disease and are commonly found in the environment. Examples include Leptospira biflexa.
Creative BioMart provides high-quality recombinant pathogenic Leptospira lipoprotein used for IVD, including ELISA, lateral flow assay, western blot, and other immunoassays.
Highlights of Our Products
- Completed biological functions and efficient activity.
- Versatile and suitable for downstream immunology experiments, including ELISA and Western blotting.
- High sensitivity, high specificity, and high purity.
- Easy to store and transport, conducive to large-scale production and use of vaccines.
- A high success rate and rapid development that surpasses peers in the IVD field.
Our Outstanding Advantages
- High-quality service, high-level experiments, and reliable analysis can ensure the success of the experiment.
- IVD proteins can be used to test for a variety of diseases and conditions, making them valuable tools for diagnosing and monitoring health.
- A complete IVD protein platform can provide customized services to meet different scientific research needs.
- Our IVD proteins undergo rigorous testing and validation to ensure accuracy and precision.
Applications of Leptospirosis-Related Proteins
Proteins related to Leptospira, whether from pathogenic strains or others, have multiple applications.
Diagnostic Tools
Immunoassays: Proteins such as LipL32 (the most abundant outer membrane protein in pathogenic leptospires) are used in serological assays to diagnose leptospirosis.
PCR Targets: Specific proteins can also serve as targets for molecular diagnostics like PCR.
Vaccine Development:
Subunit Vaccines: Proteins involved in pathogenesis (e.g., OmpL1, LigA, LigB) could be used in developing vaccines.
Whole-Cell Vaccines: Attenuated or inactivated organisms containing these proteins can stimulate an immune response.
Pharmaceutical Targets:
Understanding the function of various Leptospira proteins can help in the development of antibiotics or therapeutic agents that inhibit these proteins and, consequently, the bacteria.
Research and Understanding Pathogenesis:
Studying these proteins helps elucidate the mechanisms of how the bacteria cause disease, its interaction with the host immune system, and potential targets for intervention.
Epidemiological Monitoring:
Proteins can be used as markers in epidemiological studies to track the spread of leptospirosis and understand the different strains circulating in various regions.
Case Study
Case 1: Sykes JE, Francey T, Schuller S, Stoddard RA, Cowgill LD, Moore GE. Updated ACVIM consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2023 Nov-Dec;37(6):1966-1982. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16903. Epub 2023 Oct 20. PMID: 37861061; PMCID: PMC10658540.
After identification of core panelists, a multidisciplinary group of 6 experts from the fields of veterinary medicine, human medicine, and public health was assembled to vote on the recommendations using the Delphi method. A draft was presented at the 2023 ACVIM Forum, and a written draft posted on the ACVIM website for comment by the membership before submission to the editors of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. This revised document provides guidance for veterinary practitioners on disease in dogs as well as cats.
Fig2. Lateral thoracic radiographs from dogs with leptospiral pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome showing diffuse mixed bronchointerstitial-alveolar pattern (left) and micronodular pattern (right). Both dogs were confirmed to have leptospirosis based on acute and convalescent phase serologic testing.Case 2: Sohm C, Steiner J, Jöbstl J, et al. A systematic review on leptospirosis in cattle: A European perspective. One Health. 2023 Jul 27;17:100608. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100608. PMID: 37577054; PMCID: PMC10416059.
Bovine leptospirosis often results in economic losses through its severe impact on reproduction performance while it threatens human health at human-cattle-environment interfaces. The authors conducted a systematic literature review, screening four electronic databases, and filtered articles published between 2001 and 2021. Sixty-two articles were ultimately included in the review. The seroprevalence of leptospirosis in cattle was remarkably variable among studies, probably reflecting local variations but also heterogeneity in the study designs, laboratory methods, and sample sizes.
Fig3. Circulating Leptospira serogroups in European cattle (determined by MAT) reported in the included papers, 2001-2021. X-axis represents years of publication.Case 3: Antima, Banerjee S. Modeling the dynamics of leptospirosis in India. Sci Rep. 2023 Nov 13;13(1):19791. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-46326-2. PMID: 37957218; PMCID: PMC10643689.
This study delves deep into tropical Indian states, namely, Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, unraveling the dynamics of leptospirosis through a comprehensive mathematical model that embraces temperature-driven growth rates of Leptospira.
Fig4. The map illustrates the district-wise incidences of leptospirosis in Kerala, India, over 11 years from 2011 to 2021. The color scheme used highlights the severity of the disease burden, with red indicating incidences above 25, brick red indicating deaths above 10, pink denoting deaths between 8 and 10, orange denoting 5 to 7 deaths, green denoting the number of incidences between 1 and 4, and white indicating no incidence or no record.