title: Rat model of chronic leptospirosis.
abstract: Reservoir hosts of pathogenic Leptospira species, including wild and domestic animal species, persistently excrete leptospires from infected renal tubules via urine into the environment. Reservoir hosts are typically asymptomatic. In contrast to the hamster model of leptospirosis (described in UNIT 12E.2), which emulates the severe form of human leptospirosis, the rat model of chronic leptospirosis emulates the asymptomatic infection observed in reservoir hosts. Rats are the primary reservoir host for pathogenic Leptospira species associated with the severe forms of human leptospirosis.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Sciences Centre, UCD School of Agriculture Food Science & Veterinary Medicine, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonilla-Santiago
authors.forename: Jarlath E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nally
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003264:Containment of Biohazards; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000502:physiology*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats / Q000382:microbiology; D017208:Rats, Wistar