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Recognition of Leptospira by DNA hybridization
Zbl. Bakt. Hyg. A 257, 490 (1984 )
Inter-specific Antigens in Serovars of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira biflexa Species Abstract B. CACCIAPUOTI 1 , A. PINTO , L. CICERONI, and S. CIARROCHI I
Nat ional Center for Leptospirosis, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Roma 001 61, Italy
Researches on extractive ant igens of Leptospira species demon strate that species-specific ant igens are deeply seated in leptospira cells. In the present study, out of twenty leptospira serovars tested only suspensions of serovar australis of Leptospira interrogans and serovar andamana of Leptospira biflexa species, behaved like inter-specific antigens reacting with all human sera from subjects with current leptospirosis. Both serovars reacted as interspecific antigens in the complement fixation test and did not do so in the microagglutination test. The complement fixation test with the above mentioned antigen s was found to be as sensitive and specific as the microagglutination test performed with serovar-specific strains. Hypothe ses are discussed about the location of inter-specific antigenic determin ants in Leptospira serovars. A fifty-fifty suspension of serovars australis and andamana is proposed as an inter-specific antigen in the complement fixation test for the diagnosis of current leptospirosis in man.
Inter-specific Antigens in Serovars of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira biflexa Species Abstract B. CACCIAPUOTI 1 , A. PINTO , L. CICERONI, and S. CIARROCHI I
Nat ional Center for Leptospirosis, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Roma 001 61, Italy
Researches on extractive ant igens of Leptospira species demon strate that species-specific ant igens are deeply seated in leptospira cells. In the present study, out of twenty leptospira serovars tested only suspensions of serovar australis of Leptospira interrogans and serovar andamana of Leptospira biflexa species, behaved like inter-specific antigens reacting with all human sera from subjects with current leptospirosis. Both serovars reacted as interspecific antigens in the complement fixation test and did not do so in the microagglutination test. The complement fixation test with the above mentioned antigen s was found to be as sensitive and specific as the microagglutination test performed with serovar-specific strains. Hypothe ses are discussed about the location of inter-specific antigenic determin ants in Leptospira serovars. A fifty-fifty suspension of serovars australis and andamana is proposed as an inter-specific antigen in the complement fixation test for the diagnosis of current leptospirosis in man.