Leptospirosis - importance of a One Health approach
Roderick J. Chappel A and Lee D. Smythe * ANRL, 4th Floor, Healy Building, 41 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065
Tel: 03 9418 1115
Email: roderick@nrl.gov.au
Tel: 07 3274 9064
Email: Lee_Smythe@health.qld.gov.au
Microbiology Australia 33(4) 154-156 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA12154
Published: 1 November 2012
Abstract
The term leptospirosis represents a spectrum of human and veterinary diseases caused by pathogenic serovars of the spirochaete genus Leptospira. It is of global significance as a cause of human mortality and morbidity, and of disease in domestic and production animals and in wildlife. A One Health approach to leptospirosis control is essential because human infection almost invariably results either from direct animal exposure or from exposure to environments contaminated by infected animals. The relationships between human and veterinary leptospirosis are illustrated by Australian experience. A major factor limiting control of the disease is poor communication and cooperation between those working from medical and veterinary perspectives. Leptospira shows great antigenic and genetic diversity, and so international leptospirosis reference laboratories are a vital but fragile resource. There is a compelling need to maximise cooperation between all professions with an interest in leptospirosis, to create outcomes, to communicate with governments and to ensure essential resources.
References
[1] Brenner, D. J. et al.. (1999) Further determination of DNA relatedness between serogroups and serovars in the family Leptospiraceae with a proposal for Leptospira alexanderi sp. nov. and four new Leptospira genomospecies. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Bact. 49, 839–858.| Further determination of DNA relatedness between serogroups and serovars in the family Leptospiraceae with a proposal for Leptospira alexanderi sp. nov. and four new Leptospira genomospecies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[2] Pérolat, P. et al.. (1998) Leptospira fainei sp. nov. isolated from pigs in Australia. Int. J. Syst. Bact. 48, 851–858.
| Leptospira fainei sp. nov. isolated from pigs in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[3] Arzouni, J. P. et al.. (2002) Human infection caused by Leptospira fainei. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 8, 865–868.
| Human infection caused by Leptospira fainei.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[4] Adler, B. and de la Peña Moctezuma, A. (2010) Leptospira and leptospirosis. Vet. Microbiol. 140, 287–296.
| Leptospira and leptospirosis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[5] Chappel, R. J. et al.. (1998) Prevalence and geographic origin of pigs with serological evidence of infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona slaughtered in abattoirs in Victoria, Australia. Vet. Microbiol. 62, 235–242.
| Prevalence and geographic origin of pigs with serological evidence of infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona slaughtered in abattoirs in Victoria, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[6] Hartskeerl, R. A. et al.. (2011) Emergence, control and re-emerging leptospirosis: dynamics of infection in the changing world. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 17, 494–501.
| Emergence, control and re-emerging leptospirosis: dynamics of infection in the changing world.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[7] Anon. (2011) “Report of the Second Meeting of the Leptospirosis Burden Epidemiology Reference Group”. World Health Organisation.
[8] Slack, A. T. et al.. (2006) The epidemiology of leptospirosis and the emergence of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea in Queensland, Australia, 1998-2004. Epidemiol. Infect. 134, 1217–1225.
| The epidemiology of leptospirosis and the emergence of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea in Queensland, Australia, 1998-2004.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[9] Lau, C. et al.. (2010) Leptospirosis: an emerging disease in travellers. Travel Med. Infect. Dis. 8, 33–39.
| Leptospirosis: an emerging disease in travellers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[10] Subharat, S. et al.. (2012) Growth response and shedding of Leptospira spp. in urine following vaccination for leptospirosis in young farmed deer. N. Z. Vet. J. 60, 14–20.
| Growth response and shedding of Leptospira spp. in urine following vaccination for leptospirosis in young farmed deer.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[11] Lau, C. et al.. (2010) Climate change, flooding, urbanisation and leptospirosis: fuelling the fire? Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 104, 631–638.
| Climate change, flooding, urbanisation and leptospirosis: fuelling the fire?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[12] Thornley, C. N. et al.. (2002) Changing epidemiology of human leptospirosis in New Zealand. Epidemiol. Infect. 128, 29–36.
| Changing epidemiology of human leptospirosis in New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[13] Adler, B. et al.. (2011) Pathogenesis of leptospirosis: The influence of genomics. Vet. Microbiol. 153, 73–81.
| Pathogenesis of leptospirosis: The influence of genomics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[14] S. Faine, et al., (1999) “Leptospira and Leptospirosis”, second edition, p. 114, MediSci Melbourne.
[15] Chappel, R. J. et al.. (2004) Impact of proficiency testing on results of the microscopic agglutination test for diagnosis of leptospirosis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42, 5484–5488.
| Impact of proficiency testing on results of the microscopic agglutination test for diagnosis of leptospirosis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
