Host-Driven Genetic Diversity of <i>Leptospira</i> in the Americas: A Continental Perspective.

ABSTRACT: Leptospira is a genetically diverse genus of spirochetes comprising over 68 species, including several pathogenic taxa such as L. interrogans, L. santarosai, L. noguchii, and L. weilii. These bacteria infect a wide range of vertebrates, especially mammals, with infected animals serving as renal carriers that excrete the pathogen through urine. While rodents are the primary reservoirs for some species, multiple vertebrate orders participate in Leptospira transmission cycles in the Americas. This study aimed to assess and compare the genetic diversity of Leptospira populations across mammalian hosts throughout their distribution ranges in the Americas, exploring the influence of host interactions on bacterial divers

SUBMITTER: Suarez-Galaz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811690 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature