384 bytes added ,  10:38, 31 December 2008
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*Serovars are fairly host-specific, causing mild disease in the maintenance host, with shedding in the urine
 
*Serovars are fairly host-specific, causing mild disease in the maintenance host, with shedding in the urine
 
*Maintenance hosts may transmit the infection to incidental hosts, which are less susceptible to infection, but develop serious disease
 
*Maintenance hosts may transmit the infection to incidental hosts, which are less susceptible to infection, but develop serious disease
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* May cause severe systemic disease, resulting in [[Intestines Fibrinous/Haemorrhagic Enteritis - Pathology#Bacterial septicaemia and enteritis|enteritis]]
    
*Pathogenesis and pathogenicity
 
*Pathogenesis and pathogenicity
 
**Depends on virulence of the serovar and susceptibility of the host
 
**Depends on virulence of the serovar and susceptibility of the host
 
**Leptospires invade tissues through moist skin or via mucous membranes, aided by their motility
 
**Leptospires invade tissues through moist skin or via mucous membranes, aided by their motility
**Leptospires may invade via receptor-mediatied endocytosis
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**Leptospires may invade via receptor-mediated endocytosis
 
**They disseminate through the body via the blood stream
 
**They disseminate through the body via the blood stream
 
**Antibodies clear organisms from the blood stream after about 10 days of infection
 
**Antibodies clear organisms from the blood stream after about 10 days of infection
 
**Organisms may persist in the renal tubules, uterus, eye or meninges
 
**Organisms may persist in the renal tubules, uterus, eye or meninges
 
**Evade phagocytosis possibly via macrophage apoptosis
 
**Evade phagocytosis possibly via macrophage apoptosis
**Damage red blood cell membranes and endothelial and liver cells, leading to haemolytic anaemia, jaundice, haemoglobinuria and haemorrhage in acute leptospirosis
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**Damage red blood cell membranes and endothelial and liver cells, leading to haemolytic anaemia, jaundice, [[General Pathology - Pigmentation and Calcification#Haemoglobin|haemoglobin pigmentation]], haemoglobinuria and haemorrhage in acute leptospirosis
    
*Diagnosis
 
*Diagnosis
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***The host-adapted serovar ''canicolar'' causes acute renal failure in puppies; a chronic uraemic syndrome may follow
 
***The host-adapted serovar ''canicolar'' causes acute renal failure in puppies; a chronic uraemic syndrome may follow
 
***Incidental infections with serovar ''icterohaemorrhagica'' or ''copenhagenii'' cause renal failure
 
***Incidental infections with serovar ''icterohaemorrhagica'' or ''copenhagenii'' cause renal failure
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***''L. icterohaemorrhagiae'' may cause [[General Pathology - Pigmentation and Calcification#Hepatic (Toxic) Icterus|hepatic jaundice]]
 
***Serovar ''bratislava'' causes abortion and infertility in dogs, which may be the maintenance host
 
***Serovar ''bratislava'' causes abortion and infertility in dogs, which may be the maintenance host
 
***Infections uncommon in cats
 
***Infections uncommon in cats
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