title: Biofilm formation by saprophytic and pathogenic leptospires.
abstract: Leptospires exist as saprophytic organisms that are aquatic or as pathogens that are able to survive in water. Leptospirosis is transmitted to humans through environmental surface waters contaminated by the urine of mammals, usually rodents, which are chronically infected by pathogenic strains. The ecology of Leptospira spp. prompted us to evaluate if these spirochaetes were able to form biofilms. This study investigated the characteristics of biofilm development by both saprophytic and pathogenic Leptospira species using microscopic examinations and a polystyrene plate model. Biofilms were formed preferentially on glass and polystyrene surfaces. Electron microscopic images showed cells embedded in an extracellular matrix. The formation of such a biofilm is consistent with the life of saprophytic strains in water and may help pathogenic strains to survive in environmental habitats and to colonize the host.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ristow
authors.affiliation: Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bourhy
authors.affiliation: Plate-Forme de Microscopie Électronique, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerneis
authors.affiliation: Plate-Forme de Microscopie Électronique, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Plate-Forme de Microscopie Électronique, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Prevost
authors.affiliation: Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lilenbaum
authors.affiliation: Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picardeau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000382:microbiology; D008853:Microscopy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011137:Polystyrenes
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes