title: Serological and molecular characterization of leptospira serovar Kenya from captive African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus) from Morogoro Tanzania.
abstract: Two identical leptospiral isolates coded Sh9 and Sh25 obtained from the urine of captive African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus), destined for use as biodetector of antipersonnel landmines were typed as serovar Kenya using cross-agglutination absorption test and DNA fingerprinting with the insertion element sequences IS1533 and IS1500 derived primers. The two isolates were previously characterized using cultural and serological-microagglutination test as pathogenic leptospires of the serogroup Ballum, closely related to serovars Kenya and Peru. To our knowledge, this is the first reported in-depth characterization of leptospira isolates from Tanzania.
authors.affiliation: Pest Management Centre, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3110, Morogoro, Tanzania. machangu@suanet.ac.tz
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Machang'u
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Mgode
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Assenga
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mhamphi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weetjens
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sondij
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Goris
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hartskeerl
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000662:veterinary; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000382:microbiology*; D013636:Tanzania
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial