Real-Time PCR Reveals Rapid Dissemination of Leptospira interrogans after Intraperitoneal and Conjunctival Inoculation of Hamsters.

ABSTRACT: The pathogen Leptospira interrogans is a highly motile spirochete that causes acute and fulminant infections in humans and other accidental hosts. Hematogenous dissemination is important for infection by the pathogen but remains poorly understood because few animal model studies have used sensitive tools to quantify the bacteria. We evaluated the kinetics of leptospiral infection in Golden Syrian hamsters by a sensitive quantitative real-time PCR (TaqMan) with lipl32 as the target gene. The dissemination and bacterial burden were measured after intraperitoneal infection with a high dose (10(8)) or low dose (2.5 × 10(2)) of leptospires. We also examined the conjunctival challenge route to mimic the natural history of infection. Quantification of leptospires in perfused animals revealed that

SUBMITTER: Wunder EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4936353 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature