Biochemical, serological and genetic identification of Leptospira isolated from Cuban patients (2008-2009) - Abstract
Introduction: Identification of pathogenic Leptospira is important for the formulation of epidemiological studies, including the design of new vaccines, and the validation of rapid diagnostic tools. In Cuba there are few studies of typing leptospireserovars circulating in different geographical region through the years.
Objective: To contribute to the knowledge of the leptospira serovarscirculating in Cuba using biochemical, serological and molecular tests.
Materials and methods: Seventeen autochthonous isolates of leptospirosis cases from two cuban’sprovinces (2008-2009) were studied using for the identification, the biochemical tests of 8-azoguanine resistance, the low temperature growthing (13°C) and the sensitivity tothe 1% sodium bicarbonate. MAT technique using polyclonal and monoclonal sera and PCR were also used.
Results: Ten (10/17) isolates were typed by MAT with pyloclonal sera as Pomona (4), Canicola (4), andIcterohaemorrhagiae (2) serogroups. Belong these serogroups, Pomona (1),Tropica (1), Proechimys (2), Canicola (4), and Icterohaemorrhagiae (2) serovars were identified using MAT with mAbs. All 10 autochthonous isolates amplified DNA’s fragments by PCR test. Seven (7/17) isolates were not typed by MAT, however all them were identifiedbiochemically and molecularly as pathogenic strains.
Conclusions: The distribution of leptospire serovars from 2008 to 2009 in Cuba, had been similar behavior with respect to previous periods, which suggests maintaining laboratory surveillance of leptospirosis.