title: Experimental infections of brush-tailed possums, common wombats and water rats with Leptospira interrogans serovars balcanica and hardjo.
abstract: Of 12 brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) inoculated with Leptospira interrogans serovar balcanica 11 developed migroagglutination (MA) antibody to jardjo antigen by 14 days postincubation (PI). Leptospiruria was observed in 2 possums 117 to 145 days PI. Of 6 possums inoculated with serovar hardjo 4 developed low short-lived titres by day 18 PI. Two of 3 wombats (Vombatus ursinus) inoculated with balcanica had high MA titres (greater than or equal to 1:128) by day 16 PI and leptospiruria occurred by day 16. One wombat inoculated with hardjo developed a low MA titre. Low transitory MA titres to hardjo were found in 1 of 3 water rats (Hydromys chrysogaster) after inoculation with balcanica and 1 of 2 given hardjo. Histopathological examination of kidneys revealed mild to moderately severe focal interstitial nephritis in 4 of 8 possums, in 2 wombats and in 2 water rats following experimental infection with balcanica. Similar lesions were observed in 2 of 4 possums, 1 wombat and 2 water rats following experimental infection with hardjo.
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008394:Marsupialia; D009893:Opossums; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012377:Rodentia
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial