title: Evaluation of 'white-spotted kidneys' associated with leptospirosis by polymerase chain reaction based LipL32 gene in slaughtered cows.
abstract: The presence of white spots in the kidneys of cattle at slaughter (so-called white-spotted  kidneys) can be an indication of infection with Leptospira, a spirochaete of public health concern  because it causes zoonotic disease. In this study, 24 kidneys of 180 slaughtered cows (13.3%)  showed focal to multifocal white spots at inspection. These kidneys, together with matching  urine (n = 18) and blood (n = 24) samples, were examined by polymerase chain reaction  (PCR) targeting the LipL32 gene. Leptospiral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was detected in  19 (79.2%) out of 24 kidneys, as well as 7 (29.2%) blood and 10 (55.5%) urine samples of cows  with white spots in their kidneys. Histopathological findings revealed multifocal infiltration  of mononuclear cells, including lymphocytes and a few plasma cells in the renal interstitial  tissues. In addition, 14 apparently normal kidneys and associated urine and blood samples  were similarly examined by PCR but did not provide any positive results. In this study, high  detection of leptospirosis in kidneys with interstitial nephritis suggests that Leptospira spp.  are associated with white spotted kidneys. The present findings indicate that white spotted  kidneys can be due to leptospirosis in this region in southwestern Iran, which indicates an  increased risk of zoonotic disease. The data show that LipL32-based primers are useful for  PCR-based diagnosis of leptospirosis.
authors: Department of Pathology, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch. azizi.shahrzad@gmail.com
authors: Shahrzad
authors: S
authors: Azizi
authors: Elahe
authors: E
authors: Tajbakhsh
authors: Mohammad R
authors: MR
authors: Hajimirzaei
authors: Mohssen
authors: M
authors: Gholami Varnamkhast
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Sadeghian
authors: Ahmad
authors: A
authors: Oryan
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007919:Leptospira / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C406589:LipL32 protein, Leptospira; D008074:Lipoproteins