title: Characterization of Leptospira infection in suckling and weaning rat pups.
abstract: Rats are known to be the most important reservoirs of Leptospira spp. However, the leptospiral dose and age at which rats become resistant to Leptospira infection are not yet well elucidated. Aimed to characterize leptospirosis in rat pups, we found that suckling pups (4-, 7-, and 14-day old) are susceptible to leptospires and resistance starts from the weaning age (23-day old). Susceptibility of rat pups was also affected by the infecting dose of the organisms. Jaundice, decrease in body weight, and neurological symptoms prior to moribundity was evident in infected suckling pups. However, 23-day-old infected pups did not manifest any pathological changes and were able to survive the infection similar to adult rats. Based on these results, we propose the suckling rat pup as a novel animal model of human leptospirosis to investigate pathogenesis, development of host resistance, and the mechanisms involved in rats becoming maintenance hosts for leptospires.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km 10, Makassar 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Electronic address: lisa@bact.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Lisa Tenriesa
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Muslich
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Sharon Y A M
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Villanueva
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; Department of Neurology, Hasanuddin University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km 10, Makassar 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Muhammad Yunus
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Amran
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Segawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsumasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007919:Leptospira / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D014886:Weaning
keywords: Animal model; Leptospirosis; Maintenance host; Resistance; Susceptibility