Characterization of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona isolated from swine in Brazil

Author(s)

Miraglia, Fabiana ^[1] ; Moreno, Luisa Zanolli ^[1] ; Morais, Zenaide Maria ^[1] ; Langoni, Helio ^[2] ; Shimabukuro, Fabio Hiroto ^[3] ; Dellagostin, Odir Antonio ^[4] ; Hartskeerl, Rudy ^{[5, 6]} ; Vasconcellos, Silvio Arruda ^[1] ; Moreno, Andrea Micke ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Dept Med Vet Prevent & Saude Anim, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] UNESP, Lab Diagnost Zoonoses, Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[3] Adolfo Lutz Inst, Lab Reg Sorocaba, Sorocaba - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Pelotas, Ctr Desenvolvimento Tecnol Biotecnol, Pelotas - Brazil

^[5] Royal Trop Inst, KIT Biomed Res, Natl Leptospirosis Reference Ctr, NL-1105 AZ Amsterdam - Netherlands

^[6] Royal Trop Inst, KIT Biomed Res, WHO FAO OIE, NL-1105 AZ Amsterdam - Netherlands

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF INFECTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; v. 9, n. 10, p. 1054-1061, OCT 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Introduction: Leptospira interrogans swine infection is a cause of serious economic loss and a potential human health hazard. In Brazil, the most common serovars associated with swine infections are Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagie and Tarassovi. Cross-reactions among serovars and the failure of infected animals to seroconvert may complicate the interpretation of serological tests. Molecular methods with better discriminatory powers are useful tools for swine leptospirosis characterization and diagnosis. Methodology: This study evaluated nine L. interrogans isolates from the States of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais during different time periods. Isolates from diseased and apparently healthy swine were characterized by microscopic agglutination tests with polyclonal antibodies and were genotyped by VNTR, PFGE and MLST techniques. Broth microdilution was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration of the antimicrobials of veterinary interest. Results: The strains were identified as L. interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Pomona Genotype A, while MLST grouped all of the isolates in sequence type 37. The PFGE analysis resulted in two pulsotypes with more than 70% similarity, distinguishing serovar Pomona isolates from the serovar Kennewicki reference strain. All of the isolates presented low MIC values to penicillin, ampicillin, ceftiofur and tulathromycin. High MIC values for fluoroquinolones, tiamulin, gentamicin, tetracyclines, neomycin, tilmicosin and sulfas were also observed. Conclusions: All molecular techniques were concordant in L. interrogans serovar Pomona identification. This serovar may have a different antibiotic susceptibility profile than previously reported for Leptospira isolates. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/18290-0 - Characterization of Leptospira strains isolated in Brazil through multiloccus sequence typing (MLST)
• Grantee: Andrea Micke Moreno
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/17136-2 - Characterization of Leptospira strains isolated in Brazil by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing and comparative genomic analysis.
• Grantee: Luisa Zanolli Moreno
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate