Researchers discover new species of disease-causing Leptospira

An international team of researchers has isolated a new species of Leptospira, the bacterial spirochete that causes the disease leptospirosis, in the highly biodiverse Peruvian Amazon region. In a study published in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the researchers demonstrate that the animal source of this species is the domestic rat, and they show how the incorporation of this new species into diagnostic routines helped identify the disease among patients in Iquitos, Peru.

Leptospirosis occurs around the world but is especially prevalent in low-income areas with poor sanitation. With its diverse fauna, tropical climate, and lack of proper sanitation, the Amazon region of Iquitos and its surrounding areas provide an ideal ecological setting for the maintenance and transmission of leptospirosis. While leptospirosis has emerged recently as a globally important infectious disease, the precise impact on public health is difficult to determine because of the difficulties involved in its diagnosis.

After isolating, identifying, and provisionally naming the new species Leptospira licerasiae, the authors incorporated this new isolate into blood testing of patients with acute febrile illness (fever fits) in Iquitos. The results showed a much higher incidence of leptospirosis than previously suspected, showing the importance of using region-specific Leptospira in diagnosis.

“This new leptospiral species reflects Amazonian biodiversity and has evolved to become an important cause of leptospirosis in the Peruvian Amazon,” the authors say.

PLEASE ADD THIS LINK TO THE PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT: http://www.plosntds.org/doi/pntd.0000213 (link will go live on Wednesday, April 2)

CITATION: Matthias MA, Ricaldi JN, Cespedes M, Diaz MM, Galloway RL, et al. (2008) Human Leptospirosis Caused by a New, Antigenically Unique Leptospira Associated with a Rattus Species Reservoir in the Peruvian Amazon. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2(4): e213. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000213

CONTACT:

Joseph M. Vinetz
University of California San Diego School of Medicine
(858) 822-4469
jvinetz@ucsd.edu

PLEASE MENTION THE OPEN-ACCESS JOURNAL PLoS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES (www.plosntds.org) AS THE SOURCE FOR THIS ARTICLE AND PROVIDE A LINK TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE TEXT. THANK YOU.

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published weekly by the Public Library of Science (PLoS).

This press release refers to an upcoming article in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. The release is provided by journal staff. Any opinions expressed in these releases or articles are the personal views of the journal staff and/or article contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLoS. PLoS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the releases and articles and your use of such information.

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (http://www.plosntds.org/) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal devoted to the pathology, epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and control of the neglected tropical diseases, as well as public policy relevant to this group of diseases. All works published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases are open access, which means that everything is immediately and freely available subject only to the condition that the original authorship and source are properly attributed. The Public Library of Science uses the Creative Commons Attribution License, and copyright is retained by the authors.

The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org.