Bacte Lec: Leptospira

Question 1

Leptospira characteristics

Answer 1

● Aerobic
● Gram-negative
● right-handed flexible helical rods with more than 18 coils per cell
● Each organism is hooked at one or both ends
● They are motile by two subterminal periplasmic flagella
● They use long-chain fatty acids and alcohols as energy and carbon sources

Question 2

Are leptospira motile?

Answer 2

They are motile by two subterminal periplasmic flagella

Question 3

What is leptospira’s source of energy and carbon sources?

Answer 3

They use long-chain fatty acids and alcohols as energy and carbon sources

Question 4

What are the taxonomic systems for Leptospira?

Answer 4

molecular taxonomic & traditional approach

Question 5

Taxonomy system that uses DNA-DNA hybridization

Answer 5

Molecular taxonomic approach

Question 6

Taxonomy system that is a serologic system based on antigenic differences.

Answer 6

Traditional approach

Question 7

Leptospira that composed of the pathogenic or parasitic serovars

Answer 7

Leptospira interrogans

Question 8

How many serovars L. interrogans?

Answer 8

218

Question 9

Leptospira containing the free living leptospires

Answer 9

Leptospira biflexa

Question 10

How many serovars does Leptospira biflexa have?

Answer 10

60

Question 11

This test is widely used to detect antibodies of Lepstospira and is highly serovar specific.

Answer 11

Microscopic agglutination test

Question 12

This is used in identification of serovars after isolation and cultivation

Answer 12

Serologic procedures

Question 13

In leptospira it primary disease of animals but can be transmitted to humans directly or indirectly

Answer 13

Leptospirosis

Question 14

Leptospirosis natural host:

Answer 14

rodents, swine, dogs

Question 15

Leptospirosis source of infection?

Answer 15

Source of infection is urine from infected or carrier animal; Water, litter, food may serve as fomites

Question 16

T/F: Leptospira live in alkaline water for days.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

Transmission of leptospira is by?

Answer 17

Direct or indirect infection via nasal, oral or conjunctival mucous membrane and abraded skin

Question 18

T/F: Leptospires cannot be destroyed in the stomach.

Answer 18

False: Leptospires destroyed in the stomach

Question 19

T/F: Virulent strains produce more cytotoxic proteins than avirulent ones

Answer 19

True

Question 20

It is responsible for intravascular hemolysis.

Answer 20

Hemolysin

Question 21

What are the other virulence factors of leptospira?

Answer 21

Other virulence factors: motility, burrowing motility, production of hyaluronidase

Question 22

Where does leptospira localize and proliferate?

Answer 22

Parenchymatous organs (kidney & liver)

Question 23

Where does Leptospira multiply?

Answer 23

Multiplication in convulated tubules.

Question 24

T/F: In carrier state, organisms shed in urine for days only.

Answer 24

False: organisms shed in urine for weeks or months

Question 25

Leptospira clinical signs

Answer 25

fever, anemia, subserous and submucosal hemorrhages, conjunctivitis, icterus, meningitis and agalactia

Question 26

Death occurs in what stage?

Answer 26

febrile stage or later

Question 27

Death in Leptospira is caused by?

Answer 27

Toxemia resulting from kidney and liver damage primarily humoral

Question 28

Canine Leptospirosis is caused by?

Answer 28

Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola

Question 29

It is primarily caused by serovar canicola, less frequently by icterohemorrhagiae

Answer 29

Canine Leptospirosis

Question 30

In canine leptospirosis, how long do dogs and rats shed leptospires in urine?

Answer 30

Dogs shed leptospires in their urine for 2-6 months, rats for longer periods

Question 31

Four principal forms of Canine Leptospirosis.

Answer 31

(1) Hemorrhagic form (icterohemorrhagiae) (2) Icteric form (icterohemorrhagiae) (3) Uremic or subacute form (canicola) (4) Inapparent form (canicola)

Question 32

The first 3 principal forms of Canine Leptospirosis are characterized by

Answer 32

depression, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation

Question 33

What causes severe leptospirosis in dogs?

Answer 33

Grippotyphosa

Question 34

In dark field microscopy, what compound is added to prolong the specimen?

Answer 34

Formalin

Question 35

In what animal is Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola inoculated?

Answer 35

Guinea pig or hamster inoculation; blood, urine, tissue used

Question 36

Causes bovine leptospirosis

Answer 36

Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona

Question 37

Serovar ____ some regions; it causes fewer abortions than serovar ____ but results more often in infertility.

Answer 37

(1) hardjo; (2) pomona

Question 38

Animal sources of Bovine leptospirosis

Answer 38

Cattle and swine and some wild animals

Question 39

Bovine Leptospirosis outbreaks is due to frequent what?

Answer 39

Outbreaks associated with heavy rainfall but infrequent under dry conditions

Question 40

Clinical signs of bovine leptospirosis

Answer 40

Infections characterized by fever, diarrhea, anemia, icterus and hemoglobinuria; acute infections may result to abortion

Question 41

Porcine Leptospirosis is caused by?

Answer 41

Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona

Question 42

T/F: Bratislava extremely difficult to culture

Answer 42

True

Question 43

Sources of porcine leptospirosis

Answer 43

swine, cattle, skunks, raccoons, opossums, wildcats, and deer

Question 44

Clinical signs of Porcine leptospirosis

Answer 44

Unthriftiness, abortion, fever, icterus and anemia; Occasionally, metritis and meningoencephalitis

Question 45

It causes equine leptospirosis

Answer 45

Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona

Question 46

Equine leptospira clinical signs

Answer 46

usually mild or subacute with fever, depression and icterus, occasionally abortion and uveitis

Question 47

T/F: Equine leptospirosis systemic disease is common.

Answer 47

False: systemic disease is rare

Question 48

T/F: Equine leptospirosis is mainly humoral.

Answer 48

True

Question 49

In equine leptospirosis' immunity it elicits considerable protection.

Answer 49

Bacterins

Question 50

T/F: Bacterins are effective in horses.

Answer 50

False: Bacterins not available for horses

Question 51

Serovars found in dogs

Answer 51

canicola and icterohemorrhagiae

Question 52

Serovars found in cattle

Answer 52

pomona, hardjo, grippotyphosa, canicola, icterohemorrhagiae

Question 53

Serovars found in swine

Answer 53

pomona and bratislava

Question 54

Leptospira is known for disease conditions of

Answer 54

Well’s disease, Fort Bragg Fever and Swineherd’s disease