2023
MPL36, a major plasminogen (PLG) receptor in pathogenic Leptospira, has an essential role during infection
Zhu W, Passalia F, Hamond C, Abe C, Ko A, Barbosa A, Wunder E. MPL36, a major plasminogen (PLG) receptor in pathogenic Leptospira, has an essential role during infection. PLOS Pathogens 2023, 19: e1011313. PMID: 37486929, PMCID: PMC10399853, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011313.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOuter membrane proteinsBacterial outer membrane proteinsC-terminal regionSurface-exposed regionsLeptospiral pathogenesisMDCK cell monolayersMembrane proteinsPathogenic LeptospiraImportant virulence factorMutant strainRecombinant proteinsPathogen's abilityVirulence mechanismsLysine residuesKoch's molecular postulatesBinding proteinPlasminogen receptorPathogen disseminationPathogenic spirochetesVirulence factorsProteinBacterial pathogensEssential roleMutantsHost tissuesSimplified sewerage to prevent urban leptospirosis transmission: a cluster non-randomised controlled trial protocol in disadvantaged urban communities of Salvador, Brazil
Cremonese C, Souza F, Palma F, Sodré J, Brito R, dos Santos Ribeiro P, Santana J, Coelho R, Ticona J, Nazaré R, de Oliveira D, Silva C, Eyre M, de Araújo Mendes V, Knee J, Ristow P, Stauber C, López Y, Giorgi E, Diggle P, Reis M, Cumming O, Ko A, Costa F. Simplified sewerage to prevent urban leptospirosis transmission: a cluster non-randomised controlled trial protocol in disadvantaged urban communities of Salvador, Brazil. BMJ Open 2023, 13: e065009. PMID: 37355266, PMCID: PMC10314607, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBrazilian Clinical Trials RegistryNon-randomised interventionClinical Trials RegistryNational Research Ethics CommitteeMajor health problemQuasi-experimental study designIntervention-control pairsRoute of exposureSecondary outcomesPrimary outcomeTrials RegistryResearch Ethics CommitteeRisk of exposureSerological measurementsStudy protocolTrial protocolPeer-reviewed publicationsHealth problemsControl clustersAetiological agentInfected rodentsStudy designLeptospirosis transmissionEthics CommitteeUrban slums
2022
Leptospira Infection in Rural Areas of Urabá Region, Colombia: A Prospective Study.
Quintero-Vélez J, Rodas J, Rojas C, Ko A, Wunder E. Leptospira Infection in Rural Areas of Urabá Region, Colombia: A Prospective Study. American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2022, 107: 1267-1277. PMID: 36375452, PMCID: PMC9768283, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1103.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOutdoor occupationsLeptospira infectionProspective studyRisk factorsMultivariable modelLeptospira seroprevalenceLogistic regression modelsEco-epidemiological aspectsMultinomial logistic regression modelsMultivariable analysisSerologic testingPrimary exposureMale genderMicroscopic agglutinationPresence of ratsOlder ageRural areasLeptospira serogroupsInfectionSeroincidenceLeptospira speciesSeroprevalenceSerogroupsRegression modelsDirt floorsRainfall and other meteorological factors as drivers of urban transmission of leptospirosis
Cunha M, Costa F, Ribeiro GS, Carvalho MS, Reis RB, Nery N, Pischel L, Gouveia EL, Santos AC, Queiroz A, Wunder EA, Reis MG, Diggle PJ, Ko AI. Rainfall and other meteorological factors as drivers of urban transmission of leptospirosis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2022, 16: e0007507. PMID: 35404948, PMCID: PMC9022820, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007507.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
Effect of Sewerage on the Contamination of Soil with Pathogenic Leptospira in Urban Slums
Casanovas-Massana A, Souza F, Curry M, de Oliveira D, de Oliveira AS, Eyre MT, Santiago D, Santos M, Serra RMR, Lopes E, Xavier BI, Diggle PJ, Wunder EA, Reis MG, Ko AI, Costa F. Effect of Sewerage on the Contamination of Soil with Pathogenic Leptospira in Urban Slums. Environmental Science And Technology 2021, 55: 15882-15890. PMID: 34767339, PMCID: PMC9302045, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04916.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenetic Evidence for a Potential Environmental Pathway to Spillover Infection of Rat-Borne Leptospirosis
Casanovas-Massana A, de Oliveira D, Schneider AG, Begon M, Childs JE, Costa F, Reis MG, Ko AI, Wunder EA. Genetic Evidence for a Potential Environmental Pathway to Spillover Infection of Rat-Borne Leptospirosis. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2021, 225: 130-134. PMID: 34139761, PMCID: PMC8730487, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab323.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPotential environmental pathwaysEnvironmental reservoirsSpillover infectionsEnvironmental pathwaysHuman leptospirosis casesSevere leptospirosisLeptospirosis infectionLeptospirosis casesMolecular epidemiologyGenetic evidencePathogenic LeptospiraLeptospira interrogansInfectionLeptospirosisUrban slumsSpillover pathwaysRat specimensReservoirPathwayUrban communitiesCommunityEpidemiologyKnowledge, Attitude, and Practices regarding Leptospirosis among Visitors to a Recreational Forest in Malaysia
Shafie NJ, Halim N, Zalipah M, Amin N, Esa S, Md-Nor S, Casanovas-Massana A, Ko AI, Palma F, Souza F, Costa F. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices regarding Leptospirosis among Visitors to a Recreational Forest in Malaysia. American Journal Of Tropical Medicine And Hygiene 2021, 104: 1290-1296. PMID: 33534768, PMCID: PMC8045624, DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0306.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh-risk groupPractice scoresWorldwide public health problemCross-sectional studyPublic health problemHigher practice scoresHigher knowledge scoresAppropriate prevention programsGood practice habitsHigh riskHealth problemsKnowledge scorePrevention programsPractice habitsLeptospirosisMajority of respondentsLeptospirosis transmissionMajor causeDiseaseTransmission routesZoonotic diseaseHigher knowledgePotential outbreaksScoresFinal model
2020
Seroepidemiology of Leptospira infection in slaughtered cattle in Gauteng province, South Africa
Dogonyaro BB, van Heerden H, Potts AD, Kolo BF, Lotter C, Katsande C, Fasina FO, Ko AI, Wunder EA, Adesiyun AA. Seroepidemiology of Leptospira infection in slaughtered cattle in Gauteng province, South Africa. Tropical Animal Health And Production 2020, 52: 3789-3798. PMID: 33009586, PMCID: PMC10407966, DOI: 10.1007/s11250-020-02417-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSeroprevalence of leptospirosisMicroscopic agglutination testRisk factorsCattle populationSeropositive cattleSerogroup SejroeSouth AfricaCattleCross-sectional studyLeptospira sppPublic health importancePredominant serogroupVaccine serogroupsAbattoirLivestockLeptospira infectionGauteng ProvinceCutoff titerBlood samplesLeptospirosisSejroeDemographic dataHealth importanceAgglutination testSeroprevalenceEscape of TLR5 Recognition by Leptospira spp.: A Rationale for Atypical Endoflagella
Holzapfel M, Bonhomme D, Cagliero J, Vernel-Pauillac F, d’Andon M, Bortolussi S, Fiette L, Goarant C, Wunder EA, Picardeau M, Ko AI, Werling D, Matsui M, Boneca IG, Werts C. Escape of TLR5 Recognition by Leptospira spp.: A Rationale for Atypical Endoflagella. Frontiers In Immunology 2020, 11: 2007. PMID: 32849665, PMCID: PMC7431986, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.02007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTLR5 recognitionHuman Toll-like receptorsTLR5-deficient miceToll-like receptorsInnate immune recognitionNOD-like receptorsBacterial cell wall componentsHeat-killed bacteriaInflammatory roleDeficient miceTLR5 activationImmune responseLive leptospiresTLR5Immune recognitionLive strainsStealth pathogenWorldwide zoonosisHost defenseBovine TLR5TLR5 activityLeptospira sppInfectionLeptospiresCentral localizationAn asymmetric sheath controls flagellar supercoiling and motility in the leptospira spirochete
Gibson KH, Trajtenberg F, Wunder EA, Brady MR, San Martin F, Mechaly A, Shang Z, Liu J, Picardeau M, Ko A, Buschiazzo A, Sindelar CV. An asymmetric sheath controls flagellar supercoiling and motility in the leptospira spirochete. ELife 2020, 9: e53672. PMID: 32157997, PMCID: PMC7065911, DOI: 10.7554/elife.53672.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCryo-electron tomographyKey functional attributesNative flagellar filamentsHigh-resolution cryo-electron tomographyPeriplasmic spaceSheath proteinStructural basisFlagellar filamentsLeptospira spirochetesSpirochete bacteriaEntire cellFunctional attributesX-ray crystallographyImportant pathogenSupercoilingMotilityBacteriaFilamentsCell bodiesFlagellaSpirochetesProteinFlagellinDistinctive meansEndoflagella
2019
Seroprevalence, Risk Factors, and Rodent Reservoirs of Leptospirosis in an Urban Community of Puerto Rico, 2015
Briskin EA, Casanovas-Massana A, Ryff KR, Morales-Estrada S, Hamond C, Perez-Rodriguez NM, Benavidez KM, Weinberger DM, Castro-Arellano I, Wunder EA, Sharp TM, Rivera-Garcia B, Ko AI. Seroprevalence, Risk Factors, and Rodent Reservoirs of Leptospirosis in an Urban Community of Puerto Rico, 2015. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2019, 220: 1489-1497. PMID: 31342075, PMCID: PMC6761939, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz339.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk factorsAnti-Leptospira antibodiesBurden of leptospirosisRisk of infectionMicroscopic agglutination testCross-sectional surveyQuantitative polymerase chain reactionSeropositive individualsPrevious infectionPolymerase chain reactionLeptospira infectionLeptospira carriageSerogroup IcterohaemorrhagiaeHigh titersStudy participantsAgglutination testLeptospira exposurePathogenic LeptospiraInfectionRodent reservoirsChain reactionAntibodiesRodent trappingSeroprevalenceCommunity sites
2001
Evaluation of Recombinant Leptospira Antigen-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays for the Serodiagnosis of Leptospirosis
Flannery B, Costa D, Carvalho F, Guerreiro H, Matsunaga J, Da Silva E, Ferreira A, Riley L, Reis M, Haake D, Ko A. Evaluation of Recombinant Leptospira Antigen-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays for the Serodiagnosis of Leptospirosis. Journal Of Clinical Microbiology 2001, 39: 3303-3310. PMID: 11526167, PMCID: PMC88335, DOI: 10.1128/jcm.39.9.3303-3310.2001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assayIgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assaySerodiagnosis of leptospirosisHealthy individualsImmunosorbent assayTest-positive individualsCases of leptospirosisHigh-incidence regionsLyme disease patientsMicroscopic agglutination testConvalescent phaseHepatitis patientsAcute phaseDengue patientsDisease patientsPatient seraHealthy residentsLeptospira antigensCutoff valueDiagnostic utilityPatientsAgglutination testUseful antigenLeptospirosisAntigenLeptospiral Proteins Recognized during the Humoral Immune Response to Leptospirosis in Humans
Guerreiro H, Croda J, Flannery B, Mazel M, Matsunaga J, Reis M, Levett P, Ko A, Haake D. Leptospiral Proteins Recognized during the Humoral Immune Response to Leptospirosis in Humans. Infection And Immunity 2001, 69: 4958-4968. PMID: 11447174, PMCID: PMC98588, DOI: 10.1128/iai.69.8.4958-4968.2001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHumoral immune responseImmune responseNatural infectionLeptospiral proteinsInfection-associated antigenConvalescent-phase seraPositive reactionConvalescent phaseHumoral responseHealthy individualsHuman leptospirosisControl individualsVaccine designImmunodominant antigensQuantitative immunoblot analysisTwo-dimensional immunoblotsProtein antigensPathogenic leptospiral strainsGenus LeptospiraInfectionAntigenLeptospirosisSerumImmunodominant proteinsPatientsIdentification of New Repetitive Element inLeptospira interrogans Serovar Copenhageni and Its Application to PCR-Based Differentiation ofLeptospira Serogroups
Barocchi M, Ko A, Ferrer S, Faria M, Reis M, Riley L. Identification of New Repetitive Element inLeptospira interrogans Serovar Copenhageni and Its Application to PCR-Based Differentiation ofLeptospira Serogroups. Journal Of Clinical Microbiology 2001, 39: 191-195. PMID: 11136769, PMCID: PMC87700, DOI: 10.1128/jcm.39.1.191-195.2001.Peer-Reviewed Original Research